ALBUM REVIEW: Sightless Pit, "Grave of a Dog"

By: Josh McIntyre

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 21/02/2020

Label: Thrill Jockey

“Grave of a Dog” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Kingscorpse
2. Immersion Dispersal
3. The Ocean Of Mercy
4. Violent Rain
5. Drunk On Marrow
6. Miles Of Chain
7. Whom The Devil Long Sought To Strangle
8. Love is Dead, All Love Is Dead

The Review:

This is not a metal album. That does not, however, make it any less heavy or nasty sounding. Sightless Pit consists of Lee Buford (The Body), Kristin Hayter (Lingua Ignota), and Dylan Walker (Full of Hell) and it is a deep exploration of the more electronic elements of each project’s respective sound. All three artists have been at the forefront of underground heavy music for years now and I would argue that this success has been aided by this shared interest in adding sampled effects, drum machine beats, and other sounds that really sets them apart from other sludge, grindcore, and noise musicians. There’s also the fact that these artists already have a bond as they have consistently toured together and collaborated. “Grave of a Dog” is the result of a strong chemistry between three artists leaning on each other to discover exciting possibilities with the music that they create. 

So the existence of Sightless Pit comes as no surprise to fans. Once the first song dropped on the public (“Kingscorpse”) I saw comparisons to the previous Full of Hell/The Body albums being made online, oftentimes with a sense of disappointment that new ideas weren’t apparent. Thankfully, these predictions are very wrong. One only needs to proceed to track two to see that this is a unique record. Every song has its own character, by far more so than most albums. Drum loops range from hip-hop grooves to militaristic and harsh. Layers of piano, synth, and distortion guide the album and give songs their melodic purpose. Dylan and Kristin both perform vocals throughout, adding their own timbres to already complex layers of sound. One of the most interesting parts is when autotune is added to Kristin’s melismatic singing in “Violent Rain”, somehow making it sound even more emotional in a fashion that recalls Kanye West’s outro in “Runaway”.

As mentioned, all of these elements have been present in each members’ primary project to a degree but it’s the focus on them here that makes “Grave of a Dog” such a fascinating record. I can’t help but compare it to a zombified Portishead or Burial. They’ve been murdered, dug into the ground, and resurrected as horrifying and scarred bastards. This isn’t just in the crackled sounds, its emotion reeks of mournfulness and dread. Even the screams have a strong sense of sadness, if not desperation, in them. There isn’t a single sign of light to be seen and sometimes it’s raining. It’s truly cinematic. It feels like a film where a zombie is brought back to enact vengeance on its killer but ends up still feeling empty in a very human way. The titles certainly help to bring this to mind. 

My guess is that the three were chatting one day and simply decided to make a record between them as more of a fun thing to do rather than to make some flashy supergroup display. Whatever the case may be, “Grave of a Dog” is a phenomenal and thought-provoking project. It can easily compete with the various albums released between the trio’s other works. The difference is that there are no riffs here.

Similarities are more abound to Tim Hecker’s “Virgins” and Portishead’s “Third” than anything metal or punk. I adore it all the more because of this.

“Grave of a Dog” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp

ALBUM REVIEW: The Body & Full of Hell - "Ascending a Mountain of Heavy Light"

By: Ernesto Aguilar

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 17/11/2017

Label: Thrill Jockey

The Body and Full of Hell have created an album not easily forgotten

"Ascending a Mountain of Heavy Light" CD//DD//LP track listing

1. Light Penetrates

2. Earth is a Cage

3. The King Laid Bare

4. Didn't the Night End

5. Our Love Conducted with Shields Aloft

6. Master's Story

7. Farewell, Man

8. I Did Not Want to Love You So

The Review:

Split 7-inchers are everywhere. For great reason: they're easier for bands to issue are less costly than solo pressing, and they keep one's name out there. In the case of experimental metal act Full of Hell, though, it is not enough to simply put out music with others. The quartet, which pitches punk, death metal, noise, black metal and avant garde into its blender, has generated lots of attention for full-on collaborations with others, to impressive results.

Full of Hell's 2014 recording with Japanese noise master Merzbow was widely hailed as a superb achievement. The collab was easily one of the most indurated pairings in recent memory; its ultra-short tracks clocked in at under a minute, and were nothing less than an airplane propeller of bluster and apoplexy. Full of Hell followed that effort up with "One Day You Will Ache Like I Ache," a 2016 collaboration with Providence, Rhode Island sludgers The Body. It turned out to be one of last year's better albums, showing up far better than most probably expected at least. The Body and Full of Hell return as a Legion of Doom once again, with this year's "Ascending a Mountain of Heavy Light."

Much like "One Day You Will Ache Like I Ache," The Body and Full of Hell combine for a sound on the upcoming album that is related to doom and sludge in only the slightest ways. You may hear a chord here or a muddy bass there. Rather, "Ascending a Mountain of Heavy Light" is definitely more in the wheelhouse of Full of Hell, for fans of its intense brand of grindcore. Even if that is not quite for you, extreme music aficionados are sure to find something they like in disparate efforts included in "Ascending a Mountain of Heavy Light."

What has always distinguished Full of Hell as well as The Body is boldness. The groups are willing to permit genres you would not normally hear together very often, including industrial, a touch of electronic and, of course, mountains of hard guitars. "Light Penetrates" the opener, is a great instance of this. The oscillating guitar and drums quite nearly brush an indie vibe until the blitzkrieg vocals and curtain of sound crash in. As they build to a crescendo, those screams are going to stick with you. The vocals get even fiercer on "Earth is A Cage," which features its own unique effects. Presumably you are hearing The Body's Lee Buford's hand with some of the unusual elements. The Body has had its own nondenominational relationship with sludge, and has been seemingly more open than many to diversify its arrangements. The bands merge to creative music with impact on this track.

"The King Laid Bare" is among the release's most abrasive cuts, and it is seemingly where the release starts its most furious stretch. Where the Merzbow disc was unmatched in volume and "One Day You Will Ache Like I Ache" set a standard for the pairing's fervor, this song and "Didn't the Night End" raise the bar. However, instead of pure bombast, The Body and Full of Hell amalgamate the harsh guitars, drums and dissonance with noise rock trappings that ramp up the constriction you feel as you listen. It is hard to overstate just how taut that gets in "Our Love Conducted with Shields Aloft," where the drums are teeming and the screaming mirrors a sort of mania that rattles you from all directions.  When that trance-sort-of drum machine and in/out effect assaults you, it's pretty much over.

There are moments when the experimentation takes a little getting used to. "Master's Story" feels like a Ministry outtake that doesn't quite work as well as it sounds. "Farewell, Man" slips into this mode too. Fortunately enough, Full of Hell and The Body get back on track in time for the closing, "I Did Not Want to Love You So." It meanders through a doom or drone energy until it slams into its final note. Chances are, you will get into "Ascending a Mountain of Heavy Light" understanding it will not be your typical metal record. The Body and Full of Hell make good on your assumptions, and make an album not easily forgotten.

"Ascending a Mountain of Heavy Light" is available to preorder/buy here

Band info: The Body || Full of Hell

The Body & Full of Hell - "One Day You Will Ache Like I Ache" (Album Review)

By: Charlie Butler

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 25/03/2016

Label: Neurot Recordings

“One Day You Will Ache Like I Ache” is a nightmarish journey to the outer limits of sound; a cold, dark creation of cathartic noise almost entirely devoid of standard structure.  Covering so much ground over the course of a single album could easily make for a messy, disjointed experience. Somehow The Body and Full of Hell manage to pull these disparate styles and approaches together to make a coherent and consistently unsettling record.  “One Day You Will Ache Like I Ache” is every bit as terrifying as you would expect from these two trailblazing acts.

“One Day You Will Ache Like I Ache” CD//DD track listing:

1. One Day You Will Ache Like I Ache
2. Fleshworks
3. The Butcher
4. Gehorwilt
5. World of Hope and No Pain
6. Himmel und Hölle
7. Bottled Urn
8. The Little death
9. Cain
10. Abel

The Review:

It says a lot about an album when the most conventional track is a torturous doom reworking of Leonard Cohen’s “The Butcher”. The Body and Full of Hell both have formidable reputations as bands as innovative as they are uncompromising, qualities that are amplified on this full length collaboration. “One Day You Will Ache Like I Ache” is a nightmarish journey to the outer limits of sound; a cold, dark creation of cathartic noise almost entirely devoid of standard structure.

“The Little Death” is the closest the record comes to fulfilling any narrow preconceptions of what this meeting of minds may sound like. The opening half is based around pummelling blastbeats, with intermittent squalls of guitar and electronics fighting for dominance over the dual howls of Dylan Walker and Chip King. This degenerates into a treacly, sludgy second half, making this the perfect warped combination of grind and doom one might have expected.

The rest of the album sees both bands channelling their more challenging urges to create bold new forms. The title track opens with a huge, lurching drumbeat that soon becomes the backdrop for menacing, clanging chords. The effect is like a middle ground between the slow motion terror of Khanate and the galactic dustbowl atmospherics of Barn Owl. The brief burst “World of Hope and No Pain” gives way to the claustrophobic cloud of “Himmer und Holle”. Over 6 minutes the bands build up layers of crackling static and shards of prickly noise, harrowing vocals pushed to the background like captives screaming for help from the eye of a tornado. “Bottled Urn” serves up 4 minutes of sharp stuck-groove noise rock, relentlessly hammering like a malfunctioning piston before finally breaking under the pressure.

Covering so much ground over the course of a single album could easily make for a messy, disjointed experience. Somehow The Body and Full of Hell manage to pull these disparate styles and approaches together to make a coherent and consistently unsettling record. It’s by no means an easy listen but “One Day You Will Ache Like I Ache” is a gripping ride and every bit as terrifying as you would expect from these two trailblazing acts.

“One Day You Will Ache Like I Ache” is available here

Band info: facebook (thebody) || facebook (fullofhell) 

Boris with Merzbow - "Gensho Parts 1 & 2" (Album Review)

By: TJ Kliebhan

Album Type: Full-Length

Date Released: 18/03/2016

Label: Relapse Records

The album as a whole sounds incredibly well done. The dynamic range on this album is wide and no part of the album feels murky or cluttered. The dark layers of Boris guitar and bass with Merzbow’s agonizingly piercing sounds come through in vivid detail.  “Gensho” is Boris and Merzbow playing together and evidence of a partnership that has possibly maximized its given potential with a release that serves as a highlight in both artists’ extensive discographies.

“Gensho Part 1 & 2” CD//DD//LP track listing:

Boris

1. Farewell A

2. Huge A

3. Resonance B

4. Rainbow B

5. Sometimes B

6. Heavy Rain C

7. Akuma no uta C

8. Akirame Flower D

9. Vomitself D

"Sometimes" written by Kevin Shields, published by EMI Music Publishing

Merzbow

1. Planet of the Cows A

2. Goloka Pt.1 B

3. Goloka Pt.2 C

4. Prelude to a Broken Arm D

BORIS is:

Takeshi |Vocals, Guitar & Bass

Wata | Vocals, Guitar & Echo

Atsuo | Vocal, Percussion & Electronics

MERZBOW is:

Masami Akita | Electronics

The Review:

*This review is written from the perspective of someone playing both pieces at the same time and at the same volume.

The frequent collaborations of legendary drone act Boris and pioneering noise artist Merzbow subscribe to a specific formula. Boris comes to the table with some combination of old tracks they’ve reworked and new tracks while Merzbow composes original pieces of high frequency noise. Boris’ dense riffs and Merzbow’s harsh grating tracks make for an intense experience and in the past the collaborations between the two artists have felt a bit like two artists who genuinely admire each other’s work, but were experimenting with how to combine their two unique atmospheres into one cohesive piece. On the artists’ seventh effort, Boris and Merzbow have never sounded more satisfyingly synchronized, powerfully effective, or sonically layered as they do on “Gensho”.

“Gensho” can roughly be translated to phenomenon in English which proved to be an appropriate title because these tracks themselves feel so highly biotic. Whether the pace is at a heavy trudging rhythm like “Vomitself”, a spiraling plod like on the cover of My Bloody Valentine’s “Sometimes” or the frantic and lively 

“Akirama Flower” these tracks always are sounding incredibly active. This is largely thanks to the way Merzbow’s sounds both contrast and compliment this collection of Boris tracks. When Boris slows down the pace Merzbow is unrelenting. His high frequency noises and screeches are incredibly unsettling when Boris seem to be functioning as a safety blanket. While Boris play their expected repetitive sludge riffs Merzbow’s pieces are surprisingly dynamic and engaging. On “Huge” the rhythm and safety Boris creates is entirely disturbed by Merzbow’s tense noise, but the two acts do it in a way that keeps the listener always absorbing new subtleties. Merzbow’s pieces are winding and changing in such obvious and discernable ways, while Boris remains steady.  The contrasts between the two at times are incredibly effective and while they give Merzbow more of the spotlight the pieces would not be nearly as interesting if it was not for the atmosphere Boris was creating. The music can only co-exist in its greatest form because the other is there too.

When Boris decides to pick up the pace on tracks like “Akirama Flower” and “Heavy Rain” Merzbow’s noise functions perhaps even more importantly. All of these tracks feature no drumming or percussion of any kind from Atsuo, so Merzbow’s creations are what keep these tracks from bottoming out. While Boris’ vibrant guitar tones and walls of texture really shine during these portions of the songs, Merzbow’s compositions are vital to the sound’s monolithic ambitions. When Boris typically use heavy rhythmic drone pieces alone it can feel enormously steady and unchanging. Merzbow provide their drones with an unpredictable instability. A jarring and more unhinged effect is created as a result. The noise tends to drive the pace along with Wata and Takashi’s vocals rather than any guitar work on the record which serves more as texture than anything else.

These new incarnations of older Boris tracks feature nice ruffles that make them worth revisiting. Many of these tracks feature cleaner vocals than their older iterations or slight differences in the way they are mastered. Wata’s vocals on “Rainbow” and “Heavy Rain” feature a nice double-track effect that they did not have on the original mix which gives her soft delivery a bit more robustness to it. The album as a whole sounds incredibly well done. The dynamic range on this album is wide and no part of the album feels murky or cluttered. The dark layers of Boris guitar and bass with Merzbow’s agonizingly piercing sounds come through in vivid detail.

“Gensho” is the best collaboration Boris and Merzbow have done by a significant margin. The album perfectly encapsulates what Boris and Merzbow can both do at their best and also does a remarkable job of meshing these two styles together in a way that is enjoyable while also giving both artists an equal platform. Boris chose some of their finest tracks to remaster and Merzbow’s original compositions sound tailored to these tracks, but still are their own organic pieces. Other collaborations between the artists have suffered from a poor mix, live recordings whose master tapes muffled Merzbow’s tracks, or sounded simply like Boris and Merzbow playing at the same time. “Gensho” is Boris and Merzbow playing together and evidence of a partnership that has possibly maximized its given potential with a release that serves as a highlight in both artists’ extensive discographies.

“Gensho Parts 1 & 2” is available here

Band info: Boris Official Site | Boris on Facebook | Boris on Twitter
Merzbow Official Site | Merzbow on Facebook | Merzbow on Twitter

Rabbits - SOS (Singles, Other Shit) (Album Review)

Album Type : Compilation

Date Released : 3/12/2013

Label : Eolian Empire

SOS (Singles, Other Shit) Track Listing:

A-side ORIGINALS: 
1. Wooze 03:57
2. No (More) Depth 00:56
3. Riff Fuck Reap 03:06
4. Slow Mars 04:14
5. Lungs  05:10
6. Bees Revolt 02:37

B-side COVERS:
1. Hear Nothing See Nothing Say Nothing (Discharge) 01:26
2. Hard Times (Cro-Mags) 01:56
3. One and All (Rudimentary Peni) 01:24
4. Rebel Girl (Bikini Kill) 02:48
5. Evacuate (Negative Approach) 02:35
6. I'd Rather Be Sleeping (D.R.I.) 01:32
7. Think Twice (Poison Idea) 00:46
8. Straight Edge (Minor Threat) 00:50
9. Wasted (Black Flag) 0:54

Bio :

RABBITS is at it again. Steadfast in their determination to not give a shit what you or anyone else thinks, they burrowed deep into their own rabbit hole to scrape together a mish-mash of down-and-dirty tracks from every corner of their sorry-ass storied past.

SOS (Singles, Other Shit)is a disturbing and dissonant distress signal from the underground assembled from LP session bonus tracks, 7-inch tracks, unreleased demos, radio performances, alternate versions, and practice space jams recorded from 2006 to 2013. With few overdubs and mostly single live takes, these tracks capture RABBITS doing what they do best: cranking out bludgeoning full-throttle hardcore noise rock until your ears are ringing and you see stars; pummeling drums, gnarled guitars, maniacal vocals, and deranged solos. The A-side comprises six original songs of serious mayhem and downright fuckery, while the B-side collects nine covers of their favorite ‘80s punk and hardcore songs, mistreated as if their own, no doubt to piss you off. Please help them. They clearly need it.

The RABBITS-run outsider collective Eolian Empire will deposit SOS (Singles, Other Shit) December 3rd via digital download and cassette; old-school as fuck but like totally fresh, yo.  The tape will also be released in Europe on Czech label Stoned to Death at an undisclosed date to be figured out.

Review :

Portland's Rabbits have put out a sordid collection, airing their dirty sonic laundry in public with the release of 'SOS (Singles, Other Shit)'. Which is of course given the quality of the noise manufacturers in question can only be a good thing. This is an album of re-workings, singles, jam recordings and an awful lot of 80s punk and hardcore covers. It's noisy and abrasive and a kick in the teeth.

Their stuff is firmly rooted in noise, with all the usual trimmings and influences. They excel at what they do because they have been plugging away at it for years now and this album goes to show just what they are capable of.

'Wooze' has that Crover style big hitting as the backbone, and some nice scuzzed out riffs. I love how this song is confused as to whether it's a punk tune or a metal one, and to a large extent that's a great way to describe the appeal that Rabbits have as a group. Noise rock at its absolute best as a subgenre is schizophrenic in nature, wide-eyed and unpredictable. Neat track.

'Slow Mars' is even more evidence of this. I know I said that they play noise rock, but is this doom? It sure could be, but they probably don't give much of a fuck about tags I guess. This is slow, morose and plodding. It thumps away relentlessly. It should be played loud, too. The recording is so raw that at certain points the guitars sound like they were square pegs being rammed into a triangular hole, but that only adds to the charm.

In regards to the covers portion of 'SOS' the absolute standout for me is the Discharge choice, and it's a pretty brave one too - they nail the ferocity. 'Hear Nothing See Nothing Say Nothing' is downright legendary in hardcore and crossover circles, its tempo and buzz a perfect fit for the Rabbits standard of attack. Squealing guitars and that sense of urgency are translated well, and they manage to make it their own somehow.

If you are new to Rabbits at all then this is an ideal introduction. If you're already a fan then this brings together some rare and nice elements of their catalogue in one place. Either way it's a win situation, and well worth the price of admission. 'SOS' is pretty special on all fronts.

Get yer raucous on, people.

Words by : Matt Fitton

You can get it here

For more information :

http://rabbitusmaximus.com
https://www.facebook.com/RabbitusMaximus
http://eolianempire.com
http://goods.eolianempire.com

Redneck - Possession (Review)

Album Type : 2 Song Cassette

Date Released : 31/12/2013

Label : Eolian Empire

Possession, album track listing.

1). Possession I

2). Possession II

Bio :

In 1996, a strange figure emerged from the backwoods of Kelso, Washington and trudged to Portland, Oregon. This infamous being -- who came to be known as REDNECK -- soon began appearing at houses, basements, and warehouses all over the area assaulting audiences with the harsh noise of his harsh reality.

The sounds rattling around inside REDNECK's twisted head come to life at punishing volume, as field recordings of chopping wood and breaking glass are amplified and distorted beyond comprehension.  And REDNECK's nightmare soundtrack manifests in frighteningly physical performances. He may be secretly watching you for hours before he suddenly appears and drags himself slowly toward his set of sound-destroying electronics. What at first seems harmless -- repetitive sounds conjuring scenes of him going about his daily chores -- soon becomes increasingly tense, an ominous feeling envelopes the room as he stares with dead eyes at those who have gathered. Then, without warning, there is a change, as the sounds erupt into a cacophony. REDNECK flails, falls, whips his head about in a frenzy, smashes things into his face, and screams bloody murder as the receiving vessel for imperceptible messages disguised in the undulating textures of noise blasting on all sides. When it ends, REDNECK is left broken, face down on the floor, victim to his own tortured mind

Review :

I'm gonna start this by acknowledging the elephant in the corner: most people either don't like or just simply cannot handle noise. If you've ever attempted to listen to Merzbow in a room with some friends for the first time, then you'll know exactly what I mean. You and maybe two other people are sat there in some kind of telepathic communal nod, all agreeing in silence that what is happening is completely insane but you get it.

The other seven are all looking at you and wondering how they can most effectively cut you out of their lives. Redneck is the recorded output of a man who for years has been destroying dives and gatherings in Portland with his broken electronics and field audio recordings that have been skewed and amplified past the point of normal human tolerance levels. 'Possession' is a two track tape and DD that is being put out by Eolian Empire, and it is a perfect representation of the man's sonic assault.

I dig noise. Somehow I can manage to find the rhythm in the madness, and the music in the absolute static. Admittedly, this sub genre of industrial (or as close as it can come to something like it) is EXTREMELY experimental, and acutely artistic in it's approach. Redneck records samples of wood being chopped, glass being broken and inhuman howling and then layers them with the harshest of distortion to produce one of the

most unnerving listening experiences imaginable.

To even approach either half of this 'record' in a conventional review sense is like pissing in the wind. And it's not because there aren't discernable sections or highlights to be found, the whole thing is face melting and mind blowing in equal measure. You just can't define what this is in a normal way. You do need to listen to the whole thing, and you do need to have an open mind and patience. And if you come to the table with both of those things then it will reward you greatly for (no pun) possessing them.

As raging as this is through a set of speakers, it's even more intense through a good pair of headphones. And at HIGH volume (brain = fried). But having done the research and tried to find out anything I can about the mystery man behind the noise it's plain to see that this should be witnessed live. Often frenzied, wide eyed and covered in his own blood that is pouring from his face, he administers this punishment from behind a table strewn with all kinds of pedals and devices. Seriously, look him up. Shit is intense.

I really got behind this, and if I could I would definitely try to catch it in the flesh and see if I had the brass to survive it. Please don't be put off and think that this is just nonsense, indulge your curiosity and grit those teeth. It'll be painful at first, but if you let 'Possession' get it's hooks into you then it will all have been worth it.

Mind status? Blown. Face status? Melted.

Words by : Matt Fitton

You can buy it here

For more information :

http://redneckharshnoise.tumblr.com
http://eolianempire.com
http://digital.eolianempire.com