156 (Adel Souto) - "An Accidental Exorcism" full length

Started by NO PART OF IT, September 23, 2020, 11:46:17 PM

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NO PART OF IT



https://nopartofit.bandcamp.com/album/an-accidental-exorcism

On this new full-length, An Accidental Exorcism, 156 returns to his original experimental industrial sound, but with an added flair. Though the music on this release is still in the spirit of early Einstürzende Neubauten, Test Dept, Crash Worship, and Z'EV, 156 has added the use of synthesizer on some tracks, while still staying away from outsourced samples, as all sounds used are strictly recorded by collaborators. On this newest release 156 pays homage to minimalist horror movie soundtracks, while still sounding like a drum circle in a rusty junkyard, and staying true to the "meditation music for metalheads" motto.

156 is conducted by Adel Souto, who is a Cuban-born musician, multimedia artist, and writer. The outfit started in Brooklyn's Bed-Stuy neighborhood in 2010, but has recently relocated to the Florida Everglades.

Adel began playing music in the late 80s, and had formed or joined many punk and hardcore bands, plus contributing to several albums by other acts. He has written for his own fanzines starting in the early 90s, and has devoted pieces to numerous magazines, fanzines, and websites since. He has released several books, including a "best of", and a chapbook on the subject of a 30-day vow of silence, while also having translated the works of Spanish poets. His work, both art pieces and photography, has shown in galleries in NYC, Philadelphia, and Miami, as well as in Europe, and South America. His music videos have been screened at NYC's Anthology Film Archives, and he has lectured on the subject of occult influences in photography at NYU's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development's Department of Art and Art Professions.
A caterpillar that goes around trying to rip the wings off of butterflies is not a more dominant caterpillar, just a caterpillar that is looking for a bigger caterpillar to crush him.  Some caterpillars are mad that they will never grow to be butterflies.
 
https://www.nopartofit.bandcamp.com

NO PART OF IT

http://vitalweekly.net/1254.html

156 - AN ACCIDENTAL EXORCISM (CDR by No Part Of It)

Behind 156 is Adel Souto, born inCuba, now living in Florida, who had a bunch of releases so far on such labels as Chondritic Sound, Goat Eater Arts, Humanhood Recordings and Feast Of Hate And Fear, but 'An Accidental Exorcism' is my first encounter with his work. Besides music, he is also active in translating Spanish poetry, writing for magazines and photography. Both the Bandcamp page and Discogs list that his work is "in the spirit of early Einstürzende Neubauten, Test Dept, Crash Worship, and Z'EV", using material from the junkyard as instruments and adds a bit of synthesizer. I also understand he takes sound samples on board from friends. The inspiration for this new release are horror films and I think that shows in the titles of his pieces. If the references given may lead you to think that this is some rhythmic banging on oil drums and sheets of metal, then you are wrong. Just as well as I was, I must admit. The music by 156 (I am not sure what the name means) is the exploration of metallic sounds in a more atmospheric context. I would think he samples his rubbing, scratching, and hitting of metal and puts a bunch of these together in what becomes the composition. He adds the shrieks of a metallic violin In 'Ode To Pazuzu' or a very deep shaking synth in 'Wirling', with some disparate clanking on metal, which is quite the rhythm piece; here, I'd say it is all play live. The music from 156 harks back to the early days of industrial music, mostly Neubauten but without any vocals and more production value when it comes to the use of 'other' sounds. It deepens the original industrial sound and creates a richer and darker atmosphere with it. This is not some tribal oil drumming but the sound of the industry in decay. The soundtrack for the post-industrail society, which we may have left behind us, but then this music is wel-suited for film about that time. Excellent stuff! (FdW)
––– Address: https://nopartofit.bandcamp.com/
A caterpillar that goes around trying to rip the wings off of butterflies is not a more dominant caterpillar, just a caterpillar that is looking for a bigger caterpillar to crush him.  Some caterpillars are mad that they will never grow to be butterflies.
 
https://www.nopartofit.bandcamp.com

NO PART OF IT

https://criticalmassesmedia1.wordpress.com/2020/10/23/156-an-accidental-exorcism/

I had gotten to the sharpening-knives-over-digeridoo-like-voices section of "Hearts Devoured" when I was like, "Oh, this is going to be one of those sharpening-knives-over-digeridoo-like-voices records." It frightened me at first – you have to be a stonehearted man with a heart of pure granite not to quake at the horrific sounds of potential murder weapons being made ready among a ritualistic-type environment. Those weapons could actually be the cause of your own murder, you know! But then I reminded myself that letting your imagination run away with you, letting the entire enterprise of listening to an album slip into madness is neither the best use of your time nor an actual potential outcome if you can control yourself. So I shut my eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them again, mind centered to head on to the next track, "Ode to Pazuzu."



Yeah, An Accidental Excorcism stays firmly in this lane, and 156, aka the Cuban-born Adel Souto, makes good on his promise to craft "meditation music for metalheads." Stripping the mythology of any good metal concept down to its framework reveals the basic components of abrasive noise and demons, and here Souto combines both for a riveting jolt to the system. This stuff has to be terrifying, and An Accidental Exorcism is, whether it's the harrowing horror warmup described earlier or the unholy proto-industrial clang factory found on devastatingly unflinching tracks like "Whirling" or the sinister "Command to Move." And you have to wonder, was the performance of the exorcism itself accidental – like, the possessed didn't want the demon out in the first place – or was the exorcism accidentally performed on the wrong person? Either way, I have to imagine the experience would be unforgettable, no matter who it was performed on.




And so 156 slides into the No Part of It catalog as easily as a blade between ribs, his insidious motives known only to himself and label head Arvo Zylo. Or maybe the menace is veiled, and 156 has a hidden, secret, and dangerous agenda that has put Zylo and the entire No Part of It family in grave danger. Whatever the thing about it is, I wouldn't go answering doors or turning out lights, or ending this séance on the trigger word. I just wouldn't.
A caterpillar that goes around trying to rip the wings off of butterflies is not a more dominant caterpillar, just a caterpillar that is looking for a bigger caterpillar to crush him.  Some caterpillars are mad that they will never grow to be butterflies.
 
https://www.nopartofit.bandcamp.com

NO PART OF IT

A caterpillar that goes around trying to rip the wings off of butterflies is not a more dominant caterpillar, just a caterpillar that is looking for a bigger caterpillar to crush him.  Some caterpillars are mad that they will never grow to be butterflies.
 
https://www.nopartofit.bandcamp.com

NO PART OF IT

SIDE-LINE 'CLICK INTERVIEW' WITH 156

Adel Souto is a Cuban born artist living in the USA. He has been involved with multiple artistic projects, music being just one of the list. His project 156 refers to the Crowley word-view, 156 being 'the number of Babalon, the 'fiery bitch goddess', which rocket scientist Jack Parsons used to worship'. She represented a lot of what Adel likes in a female, and decided to make his musical vehicle feminine, in response to the many patriarchal aspects of the music scene. He last year released the album "An Accidental Exorcism" on no part of it, which is a poignant production mixing elements of Industrial-, Dark-Ambient and Experimental music. The work is meant as homage to minimalist horror movie soundtracks, but it also reveals an exciting retro-Industrial sound.

'EARLY PIONEERING ACTS AND THE LIKE, CHALLENGED A LOT OF MUSIC LOVERS TO RE-IMAGINE WHAT MUSIC COULD BE'
Q: You've been involved with multiple artistic projects all over the years; music, photography, videos, writing... Tell us a bit more about this involvement and passion? What do you consider as you most accomplished works so far?

Adel: I don't really want to use the old cliché about art and music speaking through someone, though it does seem fitting. Basically, like everyone else, my ego tends to transmit itself through my mouth, but other facets of my personality like to express themselves through music, art, and such. I have a passion to create, and what I do are the manifestations of that drive. I'm not even sure why, but I'm glad I follow those spirits, as I think it helps keep me sane.

Q: Over now to 156, which is presented as a 'collective musical project' and inspired by some Industrial pioneers. Can you give us more details about the concept and the other artists you're working with? What makes this project different from your other musical projects?

Adel: My older musical projects were based in Punk and Hardcore music, and were collaborative efforts with other band members, so 156 is my own vehicle that reveals more of my musical tastes outside of those spheres. In all honesty, I use the term 'collective' only because it's a revolving door of musicians (and non-musicians) that contribute.

Q: Among the Industrial pioneers, you're referring to bands such as EINSTÜRZENDE NEUBAUTEN, TEST DEPARTMENT, Z'EV.. Those artists definitely belong to another time, where Industrial music was totally different than today. What does the 'early' Industrial years and artists mean to you and how do you transpose their impact in your own composition?

Adel: The reason those artists are my biggest influences are because of their use of standard, as well as untraditional, instruments, and their output –though listed under the banner of 'Industrial' -actually flows through several genres. From harsh Noise, to Ambient, even to traditional Ethnic music of differing countries, etc.
The same goes for 156. One track may have flutes and guitars, manipulated to an extent where they lose all sense of their expected sound, to another track where I use homemade instruments, made up of whatever components may be on hand. One release may have a quiet, Eastern feel of a Tibetan ritual, while another is an unrelenting assault of psychological terrorism.

Early pioneering acts like THROBBING GRISTLE, EINSTÜRZENDE NEUBAUTEN, Z'EV, and the like (who are themselves influenced by many Experimental artists of the 50s and 60s), challenged a lot of music lovers to re-imagine what music could be. 

Q: The album "An Accidental Exorcism" is an intriguing and somewhat ritual-like title for a work where you got driven by your 'love of minimalist horror movie soundtracks'. What is this minimalism all about and how did you try to transpose this 'love', but also the atmosphere into music?

Adel: There are a lot of newer horror films, such as "The VVitch", "The Lighthouse", or "Silent Hill", who have stepped away from large orchestrations in their use of Soundtracks, and I wanted to tap into that. Much of what's on "An Accidental Exorcism" used no more than four tracks per title. A number of times, I found I could get a desperately haunting feel using less sounds. I didn't want it to be too busy, and thought to try to get what I wanted using less of what many feel might be needed.

Q: Can you tell us how the writing and recording of the album happened? What have been the different stages you'd to go through to achieve this work?

Adel: Much of 156 is actually improvised, at least when it comes to the percussive tracks. I get friends together, and ask them to beat on metal, concrete or glass, following my lead. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it falls apart, and I make it work anyhow. Other tracks are just me layering sounds, and elements I've gathered, and building on that in the moment. Very little of 156 of thought out much in advance. I'm afraid that shows at times, but it often works out in my favor.

Q: Artists from all over the world have been deeply affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. What has been the impact on your own activities and what are your further plans?

Adel: I hate to say this, because I don't want to seem insensitive, but I've been lucky enough that it hasn't affected me much –at least not artistically. In 2020, 156 released three music titles, and a video compilation DVDr. Same goes with my art, as I've released a book of photography, two photo fanzines, and a postcard set –all within the last 12 months.
Yet, on a personal note, it has had an effect, because without shows, I haven't been able to see friends in such a long time, as I currently live a ways away from the city, so I don't even go out much to meet up one-on-one. The only plans for the future are to play out more, as I've had a number of instruments built (such as an Apprehension Engine), and look forward to using them to terrorize people from the stage again. Otherwise, it'll be my usual: create, create, create.
A caterpillar that goes around trying to rip the wings off of butterflies is not a more dominant caterpillar, just a caterpillar that is looking for a bigger caterpillar to crush him.  Some caterpillars are mad that they will never grow to be butterflies.
 
https://www.nopartofit.bandcamp.com