Skullflower + Total + Sunroof + etc

[catharticprocess]

Just got the new 2xCD on Neurot, and can't understand how anyone who loves noise wouldn't think Skullflower is as good as it comes.  This blows 99.9% of the noise I've heard out of the water.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

perhaps it is more about the expectations and how it is. From something than stands out, to something which is seems quite routine job. Good, but routine job with little if any intent to go forward? While some bands success in that, others don't do so well.

[ProgeriaYouth]

I agree. I think it's the "more of the same" type sound that people object most to. I can understand that in a way but when it sounds this good; I personally, will take all I can get. I have gotten to know Matthew really well in the past year or so and his dedication to his sound and craft is very much an inspiration for me. Each of the newest releases may follow a similar path but I think the subtle differences, the instrumentation, the mood and overall concept of each release give it all an air of genuine intrigue and with the 'black metal' aesthetics of nowadays Skullflower; a really perfectly evil vibe that is absolutely unmatched in the genre.

For those who don't know I just released a Skullflower/White Medal split 7". The Skullflower side has plenty of buried sounds that you have to listen carefully to unearth. I think both tracks on the split actually compliment each other really well, even though Skullflower is "experimental" and White Medal is obviously Black Metal. I honestly believe it's worth a punt and reckon that this is actually the best sounding (as in closest to the master) 7" release I've done so far and it certainly looks the part too.

[Steve]

That is fair enough, my "beef" (for want of better phrase) is why has Matthew reverted back to the Skullflower name? The sound that he is producing now is closer to other projects such as Total and Sunroof! (I have not heard Sunburnt Hand and other names he has been trading under) so why switch back to using Skullflower? I can be cynical about this and ask the same question of a handful of other noise/PE projects that existed in the late 1980's only to turn up again years later when their name became "in-vogue".
You have a product to sell, and I wish you well.

[Matthias]

Any opinions on Fucked On A Pile Of Corpses? Been on constant rotation here the last week, very much into it. Again a bit different from recent outputs, yet maintaining the Skullflower sound of the last couple of years. Very noisy, with parts of somewhat monotonous riffing here and there. Shorter tracks than usual i would say. Some of the more noisier parts are dragging at times, though side by side with the more driving parts the "boring" sections make perfect sense. Overall very solid album!

[Ashley Choke]

Due to playing tomorrow I was planing tonight to be a quite one with weed and asian cinema. But the boneheads living above me is apparently hosting a fucking rave in their apartment.

What else to do than crank my Skullflower LPs at ten till dusk!

[SKY BURIAL]

I find the latest incarnation of Skullflower to be unlistenable noise wankery. No mention yet of "Last Shot at Heaven", my personal favorite album which was released in 1993 between IIIrd Gatekeeper and Obsidian Shaking Codex.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJ1S8vu_tJE

[HongKongGoolagong]

I've seen Skullflower play live twice this year, once as a 'rock' style four-piece which sounded amazing but all too brief, and recently as a harsh guitar trio. I'd agree that the recent latter style makes for records that are difficult to listen to, although live at the excellent Supernormal Festival against a dark night sky it was magnificently fierce, inhuman and cold.

One of the better recent releases which uses the rock/riff style is the obscure Matching Head tape 'Thou Shalt Not Suffer A Witch To Die'.

I can only echo ProgeriaYouth's post above about Matthew Bower's dedication and sincerity. Not everything he does works, the different names for various projects make sense only in his own brain, and judging from the moans of some of his ex-collaborators I've heard he is clearly a world-class egomaniac - but also one of the most genuine and driven artists working in experimental music today.

[bitewerksMTB]

Recently listened to "Form Destroyer" that I d/l'd & it was pretty good; I hadn'theard it in a really long time. I use to have a ton of their work but sold it all off. Is there a reiss of the early stuff? I know I've seen mention of a couple multi-cd sets but never looked to see what was included.

Title of the new one is just dumb. I think I gave a listen to a sample song & it didn't sound anything like what they use to be known for. I think "Xaman" was the last LP I had.

[Haare]

I have not heard Sunburnt Hand and other names he has been trading under

Sunburnt hand has nothing to do with Bower.

[HONOR_IS_KING!]

No mention yet of "Last Shot at Heaven", my personal favorite album which was released in 1993 between IIIrd Gatekeeper and Obsidian Shaking Codex.

2nded. LSaH is sooooooooooooooooooooooooo good. Album is best enjoyed on drugs.

[Nyodene D]

I think the title of the new one is terrible and would send anyone running.

this.  sounds like something that someone just starting out doing BLACKENED P.E / NOISE would use...

[HongKongGoolagong]

I think the title of the new one is terrible and would send anyone running.

this.  sounds like something that someone just starting out doing BLACKENED P.E / NOISE would use...

I think that's the point?

Quietly, unexpectedly and very belatedly an official Skullflower website has appeared, and I must say the esoteric ramblings on there are MUCH more interesting than 'our new release is ---, our next show is at ---'. http://skullflower-skullflowertruth.blogspot.com/

[HongKongGoolagong]

Tip-off for anyone interested, cheap SF things available from http://skullflower-skullflowertruth.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/selling-stuff-for-nemos-vet-bill.html - my parcel just arrived safely.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

I'll modify topic name to be all MATTHEW BOWER related things.
(It started as Skullflower topic 10 years ago.)

TOTAL "Sky Blue Void" CD
Freek
started previous night, but due 73 minute duration, had to finish this next morning. Starts slightly odd, and evolves constantly into more feedback and noise oriented. I like the gutter sound of the early tracks, yet from perspective of noise listening, last few tracks are the best. Perhaps the most massive Lift Every Voice track is the highlight. Metal sounds and guitar feedback. All tracks are stripped down to very bare bones. Usually just two things going on, and seemingly no edits, no utmost processing. Very hands-on sessions.

TOTAL "Exploded Star Sad Servant" CD
Self Abuse
still these days available from Self Abuse, and bunch of other distributors. Fierce, really fierce noise/feedback album. Despite they do use guitar too, it could be would actually compared to early 90's Incapacitants noise. No bass. Almost at all. Just screeching feedback and perhaps one could mention "droning" as quality of slow flow of noise, but it is really noise album. And really good in that. I think it is not very common style in current noise to have this type of painfully screechy high & mid frequency only - and still be murky and dark! A lot of treble-only noise is crisp or digitally, artificially sharp. This is just fairly lo-fi, but just amplifiers produced most of all feedback and high pitch noise as opposed to rumbling and crunchy. Very good!

TOTAL "Classy Warhead" cd.
Pure/RRR
Way more bass frequencies here, especially monstrous 2nd track has fairly rare usage of pitch effect. This would is perhaps most leaning towards harsh noise? 3rd track with unusual blend of classical music and piercing harsh noise and totally punishing high pitched feedback. If someone known know what and who this is, track could probably pass as early 2000's Prurient feedback works. 4th and final track howling feedback-guitar and screech of noise.

I feel like I need to check out availability of Total CD's I don't have. I think at least one Freek Records disc is missing from my shelves. Perhaps also re-listen the later days Skullflower stuff. Production-wise I have preferred the 80's and 90's, but lets see with fresh ears... Recommendations and such, very much welcomed!

I also appreciate mr. Bower keeping active at his personal website.. or lets say blog:
https://skullflower-skullflowertruth.blogspot.com

As usual these days, most things updated in bandcamp. Plenty of guitar/synth/feedback psychedelia digital only releases to be found..
https://skullflower.bandcamp.com/