The Psychic Paramount – Live 2002 The Franco-Italian Tour

I like The Psychic Paramount’s formula: mix the traditional trio of guitar, bass, and drums with a heavy dose of lawless spontaneity. Much is still possible with these three instruments, The Psychic Paramount shows, even a bit of rock-n-roll.

Merzbow & John Wiese – Multiplication

Even when it comes to the likes of Merzbow and John Wiese, the prolific noisegods whose creations often transcends those of mere mortals, it usually takes the right frame of mind to jump right into noise music, especially when it’s extreme. There’s not much time for that on ‘Multiplication’- the opening track “Bonanza” hits fast […]

Goatvargr – S/T

Goatvargr is what you get when you mix Swedish Henrik Nordvargr Björkk with American Andy O’Sullivan (a.k.a Goat). Goatvargr adds to Nordvargr’s long list of collaborations across noise-industrial boundaries.

Zoät-Aon – Star Autopsy

It’s hard not to like Aural Hypnox – the Finnish label that specializes in dark/ritual ambient. They seem to be doing everything right, especially with their quality over quantity ethos. Zoät-Aon’s ‘Stark Autopsy’ gives us another reason to like the label.

Encomiast – Havens

I really like this album. Encomiast’s ‘Havens’ is part of the Crucial Bliss series, dedicated to short-run and limited releases from experimental acts, and it fits right in here with its unique packaging and provocative content/material.

Nurse With Wound & irr. app. (ext.) – Angry Eelectric Finger 3: Mute Bell Extinction Process

Mute Bell Extinction Process features three tracks of original Nurse With Wound material that has been worked over by Irr.App.(Ext)- otherwise know as Matt Waldron. This release is the third installment of Nurse With Wound’s Angry Eelectric Finger series.

Larsen – SeieS

SeieS is Larsen’s second release for Important Records, and their fifth full-length overall. This album features additions from Brian Williams (Lustmord), Julia Kent (Antony & the Johnsons) and Jarboe (Swans, etc).

Slomo – The Creep

Slomo is Chris McGrail and Howard Marsden, and I believe this is their first release together. ‘The Creep’ is a single track that runs for over an hour in length. In praise of Slomo, this hour can feel like days.

V/A – State of the Union 2.001

There are 171 (!) artists represented here from a major range of styles of the avant-garde, electro-acoustic, and experimental sort. The collection is compiled by Elliott Sharp and highlights one minute selections from each of the artists.

Kamilya Jubran & Werner Hasler – Wameedd

Kamilya Jubran and Werner Hasler’s ‘Wameedd’ has been self-described as a symbiotic creational process and interpretation of Arabic words and phonetic rhythms.

Hair Police – Constantly Terrified

The Hair Police have been linked with comparable act Wolf Eyes, and share a mutual influence from the likes of pioneering noise rockers Sonic Youth.

Hasler + Inami – Transmit

‘Transmit’ is a collaboration project between Werner Hasler and Sunao Inami. Making this collaboration rather interesting is the fact that the two live in different continents- one in Bern, Switzerland, the other in Kobe, Japan.

Prurient – Troubled Sleep

Prurient is the noise project of Dominik Furnow. In fact, as far as noise acts go, Prurient is about as intense as it gets. Upon first listen, what strikes first about this album is the severity of Prurient’s sound.

Fire in the Head – Screams for the Mute

Fire in the Head is the power electronics project of Michael Page. In addition to ‘power electronics’ other labels might be used here as well such as ‘death industrial’, ‘power noise’, or maybe even ‘death drone’.

Deadwood – 8 19

Dark, dark, dark, Deadwood is pure darkness. The Swedes certainly do seem to have a knack for such darkness, which is just fine by these standards!

Sadkarma – Solis (EP)

‘Solis’ is an EP release through Onyxia Records. ‘Solis’ is mostly atmospherics and ambience, but also features piano, guitar other electronic instruments.

Jarl – Fragile Confrontation

Having listened to my fair share of ambient over the years, I can say with some certainty that ‘Fragile Confrontation’ is well done.

Blood Ov Thee Christ – Master Control

‘Master Control’ was first released as a tape way back in 1988 (how old were you then?) It has now (2005) been re-released by the Stockholm, Sweden label Segerhuva.

Sabertooth – Cadillac Soldier

Sabertooth is an American twosome from Missouri. The pair used guitars, synthesizers, a drum machine, and do-it-yourself techniques in the recording of ‘Cadillac Soldier’.

Terry Bozzio + Metropole Orkest – Chamber Works

‘Chamber Works’ is released on the Favored Nations label and features drummer Terry Bozzio and Holland’s classical Metropole Orkest. The combination of Bozzio and the Metropole Orkest may seem an unlikely one given Bozzio’s biography; he’s drummed behind guitar legends Frank Zappa and Jeff Beck, and has also kept the time for the Brecker Brothers and the UK’s Missing Persons…