PUTREFIER / DURGAN

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Its been long time that I have browsed my shelves and thought... I need to listen Putrefier "Simulated Vapours" LP, but then listened something else. Now, that it is finally playing, I am actually impressed!

I recall that when this came out (recorded late 1998, released 1999), I was actually more fan of the old style of Putrefier. Anyone who is not familiar what is his old style, can still get the Industrial Recollections CD’s from various distros world wide. Unique blend of experimentation and power.
Before this LP, style had of course changed long ago. Much more into harsh noise direction. I recall thinking that it is not as atmospheric as his ”power electronics” works  or that there is not the final brutality of what some harsh noise artists were doing.
However, it was never bad album not at all. And now that time passes, the qualities of this album are revealed in far more concrete form. Like think how many guaranteed harsh noise headfucks were great for couple rotations, but in long run - pretty much ”the same”? Instead of some particular item, you could pick just something else. Or that noise would be aggro, punchy and brutal... but... not really innovative or texturally intereting? You know, as die hard noise fan, I can be satisfied with dosage of metal junk bashing...  but also, I do have ear for nuance.
Putrefier triumphs on that. Amount of detail, modulation, recycling of signals, combinations of sounds, slowly moving on.. never being cut up noise, never being HWN, never being really fast or slow either. Just... something else? What exactly? To me its like what harsh noise in the 90’s was at its best: despite falling somewhat into harsh noise category, everybody had their own thing going on. One thing I was not big fan in 90’s, but nowadays am, is dynamics. Guys who are not maximum volume all the time, can have ability to be loud and noisy... and then just get even more noisier. This album certainly benefits from loud volume and the compositional aspects and dynamic variation reveals itself... then one can understand its power compared to ”clip level only” contemporary noise.

What comes to live performances, I saw many and liked Putrefier live. I did see some failing shows as well. Technical issues (Boston) or lack of power in amplification (Leeds). Although the latter one was perhaps unintentionally funny enough to make it memorable! But also, really good shows.

There is also very very good works under his own name. I was not totally blown away by most recent collaboration. I tend to feel then "ah, people and their modulars..." -vibes with certain kind of stuff, hah.. But there are recordings and gigs that prove that while one can conclude he did amazing works in late 80's... he did also in late 90's and late 00's and I can't see reason why not now - if something new emerges!

Favorities, recommendations?

[ddmurph]

He's one of my favourites, easily. Personal favourites are:
- Ploughing Furrows Into Rotten Burrows
- Schleifmittelbogen (probably my favourite TNB LP)
- Hypertension Classics Vol. 2
- two John Wall collabs

I love everything he's done though. The three IR CDs are also essential.

[zd313]

when was the Putrifier gig in Boston???? somehow missed that one (or maybe was there and just dont remember).

i love the early stuff, people look at me odd bc im quick to pull out "yeah idk, pointless when u can jam Putrifier", hes a god among men imo. told me recently hes fully done w the project, i didnt know.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

when was the Putrifier gig in Boston???? somehow missed that one (or maybe was there and just dont remember).

i love the early stuff, people look at me odd bc im quick to pull out "yeah idk, pointless when u can jam Putrifier", hes a god among men imo. told me recently hes fully done w the project, i didnt know.

Ah, this was back in 2007. It was around the time when RAMLEH did their comeback electronic gig, and bunch of people from Europe also arrived to see it. So Putrefier played that night with Ramleh, but also in Boston, with Grunt and bunch of others.

Putrefier "cilium to mkd structure" CD
1988-1995 works mixed down in 1995 and result is really good noise! I recall when I originally bought it, I would have hoped either the 80’s industrial/PE sound or more in-your-face harsh blasting, but what you got here is the slow tempo, but highly textured noise. In a way, it is harsh - but based on details modulation and abundance of nuance in distortion, creaking, metals, feedback, and assorted noise.. , rather than just hammering loud fast noise. Nowadays I can well appreciate the approach that is less violent, less dark, more just... creative and tasteful noise! However, don’t be fooled by what I just said. There is also loud, fast and harsh stuff here.

This is what brings me to think about imperfect noise. 90's noise imperfections, that makes it perfect, has been discussed many times. Also this album has several moments, over and over again, when one particular sound seems to pop up too loud, and is quickly turned lower volume in mixer. This hands-on live mixing of material, opposed to editing, adds plenty of tension. Odd moments of distractions, where noise is already sort of blasting, and then -bojoing!!!- some unnaturally loud sound element just pops up and is quickly turned down. But it remains there in final mix. In short run, I may have appreciated the blasting violent distortion, perfect solid brutality, but in long run, stuff that is beyond the normal, beyond the safe, it has often made some sort of long lasting impact.

Stuff like this CD, it is vastly better, it has vastly more substance, and things going on, layers to follow, sounds coming and going, compared to just thundering wall of noise. I am guessing that if someone wants this now, it won't be very hard to find nor expensive!