THE BEST Noise year?

Started by FreakAnimalFinland, August 19, 2021, 09:37:51 AM

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FreakAnimalFinland

Was talking with friend, who concluded that when he started to buy & listen noise CD's, it was 1994. Items that just came out, and was logical to buy due being something he knew by name, and widely available was:
MERZBOW: Noisembryo, Veneorology .. and was it MASONNA Noskl In Ana - Rare Tracks Collection‎ CD? All absolute top stuff still today! 1994 was definitely great year to start noise things. I can also relate.

1995 seems even bigger noise year when you start to really think about.

Masonna Super Compact disc, Noisextra
Solmania Trembling Tongues
Good Alchemy VHS
Pain Jerk did like 5 flawless tapes
Merzbow Green Wheels, Dadarottenvator, Pinkream,..
Incapacitants Ministry of foolishness, El Shanbara Therminosis, Operorue, DDDD, As Loud As Possible!
Aube... one doesn't even need to list what happened in 1995! insane.
MSBR destructive locomotion...

Grey Wolves age of dissent
Genocide Organ Mind Control
Anenzephalia Ephemeral Dawn
The New Blockaders "TNW Est Mort!" box, being like last release before returning at early 2000's with mostly reissues
Whitehouse quality time
Con-Dom Servitude 7", hatred 7" and more
Smell & Quim cosmic bondage, diameter of elvis colon, spermathlon,..
BDN Necrose Evangelicum

BLJ Torture Machinist, Bible Burnt skin, torturous chapter, glorious sadism, MSBR split LP, ramirez split picLP... etc!
Taint indicent liberties, savage weapons, just meat,..
Macronympha pittsburgh pensylvania, grind, whorechestra, white music, notes from underground,...
S*Core My candle has died, tarnish 7"
Emil Beaulieau the whole "dedicated to..." CD series
Haters ordinarily nowhere
Total classy warhead
Zone Nord Referon A

and so on and on and on.  Whatever label catalogue of the time, or artists you look, and 1995, damn, what a noise year! Not even counting reissues. Of course one can look 1994 and 1996 and it is hard to point out what is absolute "best year". Also things started shift by end of decade and you start to have other types of great stuff.

Some of this stuff of course, may feel great because it was so early exposure. Being blown out by noise that was really first time to hear in such style, and now 2021, hearing new artists doing something similar, may be great, but still not as memorable. However, I feel enough objective to conclude that none of the new Gerogerigege has been nowhere as mindblowing as 1995's All you need is audio shock, wreck of r'n'r former self or even the audio-scams like Veel Plezier! and No Sound 7"!

However, now that I think about it, as impressive as the list is, I am pretty damn sure that already as is, there has been way more than 25 artists this year, delivering release, that slays. 2020 most definitely! Thinking of something like.. well alphabetically..  Altar of Flies, Aprapat, or whatever, who simply would not feel inferior when compared to any masterworks of the '95.

Still, if someone would ask what is the "best noise year", I might just conclude 1995, but it might be most of all year when as youngster could afford to get few things and always be amazed by it. Those who started to listen "noise" later or from different perspective, may have very different view? Would be curious to hear about it. I am quite sure those who started like early 00's in USA, were bombarded with batch after batch of good stuff? Or the guys who were already there in '84 thinking how come so many great industrial-noise releases came same time..


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Andrew McIntosh

I suppose the 1990's in general was when Harsh Noise began picking up a lot more adherents, after the 1980's was more about Industrial, experimental and other low-fi cassette-culture style oddness. Also, there seemed to be a pick-up in how Harsh Noise was sounding, ie a lot harsher. The stuff Merzbow was putting out on Relapse was just setting the bar as far as how loud and hard Noise recorded Noise could get. It was also around that time there was more distinctive Noise coming from the US, that was harsh and punishing, notwithstanding the more "musique concrete" experiments of The Haters, Non, etc.

So I suspect that the explosion of enthusiasm and output that happened in the '90's was from a widening, yet still DIY, audience. It was getting known but not getting too well known - that came in the next century, and lo and behold, we were treated to the phenomenas of "hipster noise" and bazillions of HNW releases and write-ups in trendy music rags. A kind of rot started setting in.

To be honest, it strikes me that there's still a rot now, with the nostalgia thing for crappily photocopied cassette covers and faux "authenticity", micro-micro-micro genres, and just the absolute saturation of abundance of projects out there. Consumerism has fucked Noise as well as everything else. 

But I got into Noise in the 1990's myself, so I'm more than happy to admit I'm just a clapped-out jaded old cynic who prefers the good old days as far as the old, fading joy of discovering Noise for the first time is concerned. I'll accept it's gone and not coming back and wont care about it. Of course there are still some standard-setters recording and gigging today, but today is their time. It wont be until a few years before their impact can be properly judged.
Shikata ga nai.

absurdexposition

#2
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on August 19, 2021, 09:37:51 AM
However, now that I think about it, as impressive as the list is, I am pretty damn sure that already as is, there has been way more than 25 artists this year, delivering release, that slays. 2020 most definitely!

2020 was certainly the best year in some time. It seems like many people not only increased production in the midst of the pandemic but also honed their skills and pushed themselves into fiercer territory. The Blind Date and Jackson-Pratt CDs on Oxen are just two fine examples, but the release schedules of New Forces, Troniks, WCN, etc were almost mind-numbing in their quality and frequency. I think we were already on the cusp of something like this but perhaps the extended time at home as a result of the pandemic brought it on more quickly and with greater intensity...

Quote from: Andrew McIntosh on August 19, 2021, 11:42:05 AM
To be honest, it strikes me that there's still a rot now, with the nostalgia thing for crappily photocopied cassette covers and faux "authenticity", micro-micro-micro genres, and just the absolute saturation of abundance of projects out there.

... But I am also feeling the abundance factor. Even the incredible releases like those mentioned above get lost in the shuffle or aren't given enough attention because there's 15 other new titles of interest that just dropped the same day (and even more that are not of interest). It's a strange time to feel some burn out when so many incredible things abound.
Primitive Isolation Tactics
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New Forces

Freak Animal makes a very convincing case for 1995. It's crazy to see all of that listed together...
New Forces
https://newforces.bigcartel.com

Kjostad
Breaking The Will
Form Hunter
Cryocene

Zeno Marx

Quote from: absurdexposition on August 19, 2021, 03:29:05 PMIt's a strange time to feel some burn out when so many incredible things abound.
Give a child too many options, and it is almost certain disaster.  System overload.  It's natural.
"the overindulgent machines were their children"
I only buy vinyl, d00ds.

ConcreteMascara

For nostalgic reasons I'd make a case for 2008, which naturally was the year I really went balls deep into noise. Below are some highlights, and yes, I acknowledge my massive Finnish bias:

Ahlzagailzehguh - Refuse and Control LP
Bizarre Uproar - Fifteen Years of Filth & Violence boxset
Bizarre Uproar - Liha-Evankeliumi 3xCD
Cloama - Lernaean Catacomb Complex
Grunt / Nicole 12 / Clinic of Torture - Nihilistic Paraphilia Vol 2 CDr
IRM - Indications of Nigredo 12"
Jason Crumer - Burning in Hell LP
Jason Crumer - Ottoman Black CD
Mania - Armed to the Teeth CD
Mania - Ultra-Negative CD
Prurient - And Still, Wanting CD
Prurient - Cocaine Death CD
Shallow Waters - Equal Eyes LP
SNUFF - SNUFF LP
Strict - Kiss 12"
STROM.ec - Divine Legions Beyond Psyche CD
Wertham - Memories from the Pigsty CD
VA - Audial Decimation Comp Vol 1 CD
VA - Hoga Nord LP
VA - Hated Perversion Comp CD

plus reissues of:

Blod - Red Light Companion 3xLP
Con-Dom - The Eighth Pillar CD
Nicole 12 - Substitute CD
Ramleh - The Hand of Glory 12"
RJF - Greater Success in Apprehension & Convictions CD
[death|trigger|impulse]

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Balor/SS1535

Quote from: ConcreteMascara on August 19, 2021, 10:49:22 PM
For nostalgic reasons I'd make a case for 2008, which naturally was the year I really went balls deep into noise. Below are some highlights, and yes, I acknowledge my massive Finnish bias:

Ahlzagailzehguh - Refuse and Control LP
Bizarre Uproar - Fifteen Years of Filth & Violence boxset
Bizarre Uproar - Liha-Evankeliumi 3xCD
Cloama - Lernaean Catacomb Complex
Grunt / Nicole 12 / Clinic of Torture - Nihilistic Paraphilia Vol 2 CDr
IRM - Indications of Nigredo 12"
Jason Crumer - Burning in Hell LP
Jason Crumer - Ottoman Black CD
Mania - Armed to the Teeth CD
Mania - Ultra-Negative CD
Prurient - And Still, Wanting CD
Prurient - Cocaine Death CD
Shallow Waters - Equal Eyes LP
SNUFF - SNUFF LP
Strict - Kiss 12"
STROM.ec - Divine Legions Beyond Psyche CD
Wertham - Memories from the Pigsty CD
VA - Audial Decimation Comp Vol 1 CD
VA - Hoga Nord LP
VA - Hated Perversion Comp CD

plus reissues of:

Blod - Red Light Companion 3xLP
Con-Dom - The Eighth Pillar CD
Nicole 12 - Substitute CD
Ramleh - The Hand of Glory 12"
RJF - Greater Success in Apprehension & Convictions CD


Xenophobic Ejaculation had its first release in 2008 too!

FreakAnimalFinland

(I should remind here, I talk of noise in broad sense, including power electronics, noisy experimental racket, and so on. Not just pure harsh noise.)

It is amusing that year 2008 is mentioned. That list displays it well, why it can be so. There is also more to it, than merely releases.
It is amusing mainly because we just used 2008 as reference as a year, that probably nobody would say is best year in noise. Simply because that year didn't seem anything so memorable, beyond something like Merzbow Anicca remaining long standing monument of unsellable noise CD cluttering every distributors storage... heh...

Anyways, I also wrote this couple days ago:
QuoteTribute To Luigi Russolo 2xLP, Old Europe Cafe 2008. I have had this literally from time it came out, but I am quite sure, anyone who sees line-up saying SACHER PELZ, RAPOON, MERZBOW and GX JUPITTER-LARSEN, and then you say "2008", they won't be like "wow, what a great year it was for them..." heh.. No offense! Good artists, but 2008 is unlikely year to stand out.
However, being such a critical jackass like myself, one tends to be surprised positively. GX rules here! Merzbow ain't the artificial invagination, but still slays. Rapoon might not stand strong when compare to early days Soviet France, but will nevertheless cast long shadow over a lot of contemporary experimental sound. Sacher Pelz... I might have to say I preferred this over the 1979 material (pre-MB project, if someone didnt known). This double LP is large pressing, almost 800 copies, and cheaply available. It is worth the 5mm slice on your shelves!

Yet, there are A LOT of factors, why some particular year could be better than 1995. Look at the phenomena of noise/industrial festivals, for example. In 1995, there was Tesco Disco Heavy Electronics II. I was not there, but this can be listened on 4xCD release published couple years later. However, later on, situation was very very different. In 2008, from Finn perspective, there was insane era of noise gigs. 2006 was the first Bizarre Uproar gig, and in couple years, infamous Bunker shows were already happening. Private gigs unlike anything after that really. Also international people coming over, just to see bunch of noise packed in small unofficial "venues".

Even comparing mid 90's to some of the early years of 00's, what you have is multiple industrial-noise zines, festivals, growing ability to reach artists and labels via email, the peak of noise forums(?), beginning of US type noise touring.

Also the late 90's is curious compared to early 90's. You got musical shift from the focus on USA noise shifting a bit towards power electronics? In USA, what one should remember, 1996, Strict, Slogun and Deathpile, as far as I know started at 1996 and their most remarkable things came later.

One can look at the BLOODLUST discography of 1996, and fucking hell...

Dead Body Love   Puke On My Corpse ‎(Cass, Ltd, Num, C60)   B!004   1996   
Deathpile   Random Acts Of Cruelty ‎(Cass, Ltd, Num, C62)   B!005   1996   
Atrax Morgue   Autoerotic Death ‎(Cass, Ltd, Num, C30)   B!006   1996   
Pain Jerk[/b]   Transcription Of Piss Angel ‎(Cass, Ltd, Num, C62)   B!007   1996   
Mark Solotroff   Sexual Homicide ‎(Cass, Album, Ltd, Num)   B!008   1996   
SBR   Mental Dissolution ‎(Cass, Ltd, Num, C62)   B!009   1996   
K2   Carthago ‎(Cass, Ltd, Num, C62)   B!010   1996   
Deathpile   Gashbutcher ‎(Cass, Ltd, Num, C64)   B!011   1996   
Murder Corporation   Perforation ‎(Cass, Album, Ltd, Num)   B!012   1996      
Mangled Clit   SS66/72 ‎(Cass, Ltd, Num)   B!014   1996   
Hydra (2)   Power ‎(Cass, Ltd, Num, C60)   B!015   1996   
Slogun   Sacrifice Unto Me ‎(Cass, Ltd, Num, RE)   B!016   1996   
Richard Ramirez   This Angel's Rusted Halo ‎(Cass, Album, Ltd, Num)   B!017   1996   
Orphx   Obsession And Progress ‎(Cass, Ltd, Num)   B!018   1996   
Skin Crime   Urge ‎(Cass, Ltd, Num, C64)   B!019   1996   
BLOODYMINDED   West ‎(7", Ltd, Num, Whi)   B!020   1996   
Mark Solotroff & Sshe Retina Stimulants   Excellent Manipulation Of Distorted Tape Death ‎(4xCass + Box, Ltd)   B!021   1996   
Slogun   The Will To Kill ‎(Cass, Album, C60 + Box, Ltd, Num)   B!023   1996
Atrax Morgue   Extended Autoerotic Death ‎(Cass, Ltd, Num, RM, C60)   B!025   1996   
Slogun   Lustkiller ‎(7", Ltd, Num, Cle)   B!026   1996
Killer Bug   Sixteen Different Flavours Of Ass ‎(Cass, Ltd, Num, C64)   B!027   1996   

You got one label, putting out 20 flawless, memorable, releases, that stand test of time. Not only that, but you can observe it is part of the new tone, where the massive interest towards the old school of the Japanese noise, became way smaller in late 90's/00's in favor of many of the power electronics / heavy electronics, starting to make their mark... It may be different from 1995, but I am sure that there must be ton of people who wouldn't care much for Solmania or something, but appreciates year 00, when then fairly newish projects IRM "oedipus dethroned" Strom.ec "dogs of total order", Grunt "terror & degeneration", Slogun "written in blood", etc ...doing some releases that set the tone for following years - in some parts of the scene, obviously.  On other side of genre, you got guys like Dilloway starting to put out stuff, Wolf Eyes first CD album what probably shaped noise more than a lot of things.
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PTM Jim

94-97 is the best span of time 100% (many labels in pure prime: MSNP, Self Abuse, Deadline, PDrB, GROSS, AMP, Release, Slaughter, BLOODLUST!, Tesco, Old Europe Cafe, Less Than Zero, Sound Probe). And 95 probably is the best. 94 is maybe the best for actual music. Something really special about that block of time.

Good call on 2008, very good year.
I also recall 2011 being pretty killer as well.

Bloated Slutbag

Someone weaker than you should beat you and brag
And take you for a drag

ConcreteMascara

Out of interest I looked at Hospital Productions releases in 2008. I know I already had a few on my list but holy shit what a year. Definitely regret selling some of these old tapes over the years.

GF/HOS-213   Sutcliffe Jügend   The Fall Of Nature ‎(CD, Album, Ltd)   2008      
HOS-134   Kevin Drumm   Imperial Distortion
5 versions   2008   1   
HOS-138   Various   Like A Frog In Winter
3 versions   2008   1   
HOS-172   BXC*   Sword Swallower's Opera ‎(Cass, Ltd, Num, C20)   2008      
HOS-199   Ramleh   The Hand Of Glory
2 versions   2008   1   
HOS-209   Wolf Eyes / Sickness   There Is A Part Of Me That You Will Never Know
2 versions   2008      
HOS-210   Cleanse   The Prince
3 versions   2008      
HOS-211   Kevin Drumm   Snow ‎(Cass, Ltd, C30)   2008      
HOS-214   Failing Lights   Blood Path ‎(12", Ltd)   2008      
HOS-215   Jason Crumer   Ottoman Black ‎(CD, Album, Ltd)   2008   1   
HOS-216   Burning Star Core   Challenger ‎(CD, Album)   2008   1   
HOS-218   Shallow Waters   Equal Eyes ‎(LP, Album, Ltd)   2008   1   
HOS-219   Age Of Enlightenment   Traumatology ‎(2xCass, Ltd, C20)   2008      
HOS-220   Burning Star Core / Prurient   Ghosts Of Niagara ‎(10xCass, C10 + Box, Ltd)   2008      
HOS-222   Birds Of Delay / Jazzfinger   Split ‎(12", Ltd)   2008      
HOS-223   Yellow Tears   The Pissmop LP
2 versions   2008      
HOS-224   Ahlzagailzehguh   Refuse And Control ‎(LP, Ltd, Num, W/Lbl)   2008   1   
HOS-225   Prurient   Time Began In A Garden
2 versions   2008   1   
HOS-226   Cold Cave   Painted Nails
4 versions   2008   1   
HOS-227   Stillbirth (2)   From Cain To Christ ‎(Cass, Ltd, C10)   2008      
HOS-228   Exploring Jezebel   Attending UCLA Lecture On Forced Feminisation In Prison ‎(Cass, Ltd, C10)   2008      
HOS-229   Exploring Jezebel   At The Heart Of Forced Feminisation Lies Homosexuality ‎(Cass, Ltd, C10)   2008      
HOS-230   Winter Soldier   Gospel And Repentence ‎(Cass, Ltd, C10)   2008      
HOS-230   Geography Of Hell   Dresden 1945 ‎(Cass, Album, Ltd, C48)   2008      
HOS-231   The Grey Apartment / Project Vivicide   Sonic Lustmord ‎(Cass, Ltd, Num, C24)   2008      
HOS-231   Financial Slavery   Female Sovereign Supremacy ‎(Cass, Ltd, C10)   2008      
HOS-232   Prurient   Cocaine Death (Comp)
3 versions   2008   1   
HOS-232   Northern Cross   Nation Of Islam ‎(Cass, Ltd, Num, C40)   2008      
HOS-233   Karlheinz   Creep (Live) ‎(Cass, Ltd, C30)   2008      
HOS-233   Exploring Jezebel   Locking Up The Husband's Penis Is Not Slavery, But Rather The Greatest Act Of Kindness Given To A Man ‎(Cass, Ltd, C60)   2008      
HOS-234   Alberich   Penis Womb ‎(Cass, Ltd, C10)   2008      
HOS-234   Exploring Jezebel   Consensual Spinal Cord Injury During Behavior Modification Process ‎(Cass, Ltd, C10)   2008
HOS-235   Age Of Enlightenment   Holocaust Adventure ‎(8xCass, C10 + Box, Ltd)   2008      
HOS-236   K.P. (5)   Honest, Shy ‎(Cass, Ltd, Num, C20)   2008

----
some other highlights of 2008:

Altar Of Flies / Sewer Election - Split LP
Chop Shop (3) – Oxide CD
Hair Police – Certainty Of Swarms CD
Irgun Z'wai Leumi – Klirrfaktor LP
Jarl – Tunnel Vision Mind Reaper cassettes
Jarl – Turbulence Colour CDs
Pig Heart Transplant ‎– Hope You Enjoy Heaven CD
Sewer Election – Kassettmusik CD
Spine Scavenger – Weighted Ghost cassette
White - Tormented cassette
Various – White Nights cassette

yeah I stand by it, 2008 was a good fucking year.
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