reviews: industrial

(industrial / noise / power electronics)

MZ.412 – Infernal Affairs

MZ.412 doesn’t need no introduction. This project is for years known as the originator of black industrial: a mixture of industrial and black arts inspired sounds and content, as often found in black metal.

V/A – Swarm

A few years after the compilation “Chamber”, UK’s Cold Spring Records now comes with a new label sampler. Swarm gathers 22 artist who released or will release material on Cold Spring. And the good news is that all tracks were recorded specifically for this collection.

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 […]

V/A – Six Doors: a Housepig Compilation

‘Six Doors’ is a great idea from the Housepig label. Housepig is based in Minneapolis, MN, and focuses on ambient and noise. This compilation holds six top notch acts from the U.S. and Japan: Unicorn; Aube; Bastard Noise; Luasa Raelon; Guilty Connector & Tabata; and Oblong Box. Each shows a different approach to experimental electronics, […]

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.

Negru Voda – Unplugged

Negru Voda unplugged? Peter Nyström playing John Denver songs around the campfire? No, not really. This cd contains 6 tracks recorded at an industrial festival in Vilnius in 2004.

Fire in the Head special

Almost every week Michael Page aka F/I/T/H/ churns out a new power electronics release, as if his life depends on it. This review describes just some of the recent Fire in the Head releases.

Hypnoskull – (G.O.D) – Once Again

The Belgian label Spectre exists for ten years now and has build up an impressive catalogue. One of their most recent releases is this cd by Hypnoskull, the rhythmic industrial project which the productive Patrick Stevens started in the early 90’s.

Geneviéve Pasquier – Soap Bubble Factory

On her previous releases Geneviéve Pasquier has raised some expectations with good pieces of old school minimal industrial music. Now Thorofon is no more, it seems her solo project is her main focus.

Gjöll – Way Through Zero

Way Through Zero is the debut of Gjöll and a concept album about the mental state of a person. Musically this is worked out very well: From drone-like industrial ambient to pulsating noise.

Narcosa – Taking care of your pain

Narcosa is a Dutch one-man project whose sound is a mixture of dark ambient, death industrial and martial elements. I wasn’t really sure what to expect, though the artwork didn’t look very cheerful. Photos of brains and dead bodies, a signature in blood…

Haus Arafna – Blut: Trilogie des Blutes + Nachblutung

The first album of Haus Arafna has been finally re-released. Blut: Trilogie des Blutes was first released in 1995. This re-issue features three bonus tracks from the same period.

C/A/T – The Rogue Pair

I was listening to this C/A/T release travelling after work. It’s just the suited type of music when you need to let off some steam, with its energetic adrenaline-filled EBM-industrial-techno mixture.

Napalmed – Strident abrasive auricular erosion

You asked for something obscure? Well, here you have a true underground release. Napalmed is a noise/industrial project from the Czech Republic for more than 10 years. They offer loads of samples and distortion.

PPF / ICK – Collectivistes / Individualistes

Two French projects from the industrial underground have teamed up for this limited piece of vinyl. The two acts combine old-fashioned raw industrial and minimal wave/electro elements.

Dove Yellow Swans – Live During War Crimes

Release The Bats Records normally releases post-punk related music. Yellow Swans produces a very different sound, namely classic industrial noise.

Initial Prayer – The last men in Europe

The sound of Initial Prayer is quite doomy and hypnotizing. On many tracks they have a slow and monotonous sound often reminding me of 80’s industrial icons like Controlled Bleeding, Coil or Swans.

Loss – I kill everything

Without a doubt one of the most impressive industrial releases I heard in the past months.The first full-length album of this New York based project of certainly fulfilled my high expectations.

Maska Genetik – Quarantine

Galakthorrö has presented the official debut release of Maska Genetik, a 7″ EP called “Quarantine”. The ‘angst pop’ style of the four tracks on this single won’t be too much of a surprise for followers of the label.

Sons of Bronson – Niñas y marisco

A release for the die-hard noise fans. The Sons of Bronson from Barcelona don’t sound like the merciful types.