PLAYLIST with COMMENTS/REVIEWS

[AKTI Records]

Mama Baer - Asylum Lunaticum

Pretty intense sound art/industrial/noise album from sound and visual artist who seems to be part of the No!art movement. Sounds from forgotten and imaginery asylum. First time I`m hearing this stuff and Discogs says that some of her albums have been released by Malmlund Records, a finnish label that I`ve never heard of... And all of those Malmlund LP`s look really great. Would totally buy them, even only for their covers.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

I recall 10 years ago, when getting the first demo tapes of UNCLEAN, that I liked it, but I also had feeling that it can be better, so I was not ready to ”sign” it. Both of the demos are pretty good actually, and they didn’t remain as demo tapes, but 1st demo came out as debut tape on F&V label and 2nd demo as tape on Untergeschoss.
I think I mentioned to him it made me think of some early days Consumer Electronics type of stuff. Just fierce simple electronic-noise, some songs with movie samples. Now on hindsight, it is a bit shame I turned down possibility to put these out since nowadays they feel like surviving test of time very nicely. Perhaps teaming up with those labels was good move for him anyways!
There just came out decent interview with Unclean on this podcast:

https://soundcloud.com/user-658220512/58-an-interview-with-finnish-power-electronics-artist-unclean

I don’t see that they would have done other interviews with noise makers, but certainly would be doable. As good as Noisextra and WCN is, I don’t think stuff like Unclean ”fits” in the style, taste or goal of those podcasts. So perhaps there is still room for more!
In interview he talks how some people were not so happy how 2015 full length came out. I was one of them. By 2015, ”Heavy Electronics” had been both blessed and plagued with so many releases that to get my attention, one needs more than synth tones. Even more advanced oscillations and modulations wouldn’t do the trick, unless the texture, timbre and amplification is interesting.
I don’t want to say classic ”first demo is the best”, haha, but I do hope that advanced song/composition/vocals he is able to do these days, the sound approach would get back to the gutter.  From interview, one can get snippets of various other releases.
First tape for screeching high pitch filth, 2nd tape for harsher, even noisier but thicker stuff. Later works have more heavier and ”composed” approach.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Some of this stuff I got the CD reissues too, but since I have the tapes, and tapes tend to sound a bit different that re-masters or digital files pressed on CD instead of dubbed loud on tape… they work well on tape too.
Sewer Election ”sex death” double tape. On tape you obviously have 4 songs of harsh noise, duration probably same as the CD, that has just 3 songs, but sex tape probably just published as one piece? The harsh head rituals era of SE, totally guaranteed mayhemic blasting!

CCCC phantasmogoria tape on Endorphine factory. No idea when I bought this, but was quite shocking to see how much it is asked for these days at discogs. 1992 live recording of psychedelic but fierce noise from the cult band.

Karl Mayer ”Colou(r)less” tape, on Vanilla records. I don’t think I ever listened this before. It still had the 1600JPY price tag on it, probably bought it on one of trips to Japan when there was still lots of odd noise stuff available in tiny music stores. 60 minute tape is mix of sound collage, noise, experimental odd live ”free rock” that is way to free form to be really called rock. Just using some common instruments. Most of the tape is abstract noisy experimental sound. It makes me think the almost mythical Love & Sincerity -project that had track on Come Again II comp that was clearly just sound collage made out of best moments of their tape. High pitched female screaming is one thing that makes me think L&S, but also overall vibe of the tape! Karl Mayer, that is actually full line-up Japanese band, seems to have one tape-ep besides this. Seems unlikely to get that, but this one probably needs to be listened more…!



After few comments here, had to dig this up, literally, from nasty pile of odd sized tapes…
There was moment in Custodian interview, where Descent magazine was mentioned when talking of metal & noise cross over. That magazine was done by O’Malley and Tyler of Ajna Offensive. Also Keith (taint) contributed couple things for it. I don’t see Ajna mentioned so often, but he put out also good eccentric noise stuff. Taint CD being of them. He was one closer contact of Keith for very long time till the very end.
In interview wasn’t mentioned O’Malleys Sarin project he did with Burning Witch vocalist, for Slaughter prod in 1996. It is good, not phenomenal, but I certainly prefer this over Sunn o))) stuff. This has more industrial noise vibes. Rotten synth/electric sounds, running tapes backwards, processed vocal/radiospeech noises turned into noise. Slowly mutating and slowly moving. Sounds more like guys trying out what could be done, than focused vision of album. Decent nevertheless.
It must have been almost 15 years ago when Sunn O))) was first time in Finland? Guy of Pain Nail was organizing it and I was at the gig. I was at the urinal, minding my own business, and Attila comes next to me, urinates, and says ”Hello, I am Attila”. It is possible someone mentioned who I was, instead introducing himself to random guy in toilet, but instead engaging into conversation like normal human being, I just said ”Hello!”, and nothing else, zipped up, and walked away… haha. What to say to guy who sings on De Mysteriis…?
During that night O’Malley came to me like 3 times. ”Do you have drugs”. ”No”. Then walked away. Soon to return and ”So.. do you have drugs here?”, ”NO!”. Third time he came to ask I was moderately annoyed, I don’t have any drugs dammit..  And then he was like.. ehmm… ”I mean LP’s, DRUDKH!”.  Haha.. At the time, I had put out first LP pressings of this new band called Drudkh, that he wanted to get…. Well, didn’t have any of those either.
Sarin tape, actually much better than my earlier comments above may let you believe. Worth to grab if you see it available for fair price! A-side is very nice, b-side more hit & miss.

[MT]

Wince - "Traum" CD
What a weird harsh noise album. At first when I put this in my player I thought the CD was broken! Just this low hiss for minutes, but after checking from other sources I realised this is how it's supposed to be. Traum takes awhile to grow on you, first song is mostly mid volume hiss with subtle changes undernearth the textures, so to speak. Then it sort of explodes on your face suddenly. Luckily I did not have my speakers too loud at this point. Overall very challenging album for me, lenght is just perfect, 40 minutes. But this certainly needs some attention while listening, not an easy type of relentless noise blasting, but more like the sound is stalking the listener and taking no prisoners when the time comes.

Frame Rust - "s/t" CD
Frame Rust is Dassum and Harald Mentor, aka Umpio and Will Over Matter collab. CD takes best of both worlds, monotoneus electronics, broken sounding beeps and boops of Will Over Matter, and the grit and distortion of Umpio. And of course the fine production work of Umpio, that warm and sturdy sound. Artworks compliment the overall atmosphere, pictures of rusted mechanics and dusty circuit boards. High recommendations to anyone who is into either or both of their works. CD offers harsh blasts of Umpio style noise, passages of electronics oscillating in WOM style, and perfect mixture of both at times.

[MT]

Gelsomina - "Cronenberg / Dead Music Live" CD
Christ, I had forgotten about the "Gelsomina sound" sound, it is painful to listen to! Very little of dynamics in it, no harsh low bottoms just this very high register "screeching", which after awhile really makes you feel uncomfortable, even hurt ears, haha! And I think that's great if sound can do that.  Just pure unconformity, no entertainment, no cool breakdowns, just this really torturing sound. Plus this is mastered very LOUD, not as bad as "Nostalghia" CD which blew my ears when I first listened to it back in the day, right outta gates pure onslaught. This CD has the 3 inch cd materials plus a live gig. Cronenberg material is familiar sound from Nostalghia, ear splitting tones, piercing sound, changes are there but subtle. In live setting I believe Gelsomina was very different, as we can hear here. More mid-range droning sounds with feedback, echoing scrap metal work and even some vocals. Maybe live gig sound was the reason for gradual shift from Gelsomina towards Sick Seed, just a guess.

[Zeno Marx]

PHBTK - Verfall / Melachoir 2011 reissue of 1988 and 1989 tapes - talk about a successful, great collaborations and fantastic listen from start to finish.

[MT]

Cloama - "Embargoed" CD
Haven't seen any writing about this album, then again Cloama isn't exactly a flavour of the week type of material. It doesn't invite you, or give notice that new material is out. Cloama walks on the strange sidepaths of industrial world, often creating soundscapes that differs altogether from other artists. "Revisionist Knowledge" is probably the easiest album to get into Cloama, but you are quite quickly abondoned after that. No more spoon feeding tasty industrial grit, but you are left alone in the strange world of Cloama. "Embargoad" has tracks recorded in a span of 7 years, but they all have alike sound. Guitar drones, hypnotic bass, and metal treated in a way where the sound is slowly extracted from the element. It's not relentless bashing around but more operating the metal, creating mechanical sounds and more subtle tingles. At times like raindrops on a roof, other times like men operating an old factory with machinery gears. Album closes out with an elegy called "Tear". Song itself has quite simple structure but it has a melancholic feeling to it. The pulsating synth reminds me of dying shooting stars, or a starship control circuits failing out. Operatic vocals are a cherry on top. Very unique closing track, to a very unique album. Certainly not for everyone, but I would recommend everyone to at least give it a try.


Testicle Hazard - "Kiki & Kastor" CD
Latest CD of this mad harsh noise duo. Overall solid work, but was maybe expecting a bit more warmer sound, like Python in a Bowl. This has more precise, cutting sound to it. A lot of color, a lot of variation in sound, everything you'd want from a noise album. But I was missing a bit of that warm low end roar, or maybe I didn't listen loud enough? But neverthless a solid album, once again.

[Baglady]

MOGAO - A Mass Meditation CD (Freak Animal, 2021)
Jesus christ. I had a good feeling about this album, but I didn’t expect to be floored from the start. A one man unit stirring up chaos of the Incapacitants/Testicle Hazard/etc vein. And yeah, that’s the closest I’ll get to describe this thing; take the dizzying controlled chaos of the two latest Testicle Hazard albums, cross it with some of the tectonic plate-shaking of Incapacitants and add heaps of personality and, well, joy!, and this is what you get. Absolutely fantastic album. Just like Savage Gospel did last year, this disc instills hope. Noise can move forward, there’s still new sounds, new madnesseseses.
That the cover art looks like a mutilated version of Killdozer’s Twelve Point Buck is a beautiful bonus.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Hard to say how many ”has it” and how many at distros, but about 100 is sent out so far. I dont need or want items to sell out fast. 5 years wait, no prob! Mogao just started out and prior to cd made like handful of copies of self made tape. Couple comp tracks and after cd was recorded perhaps even more amazing split tape with Moozzhead (narcolepsia, check that out!). I am confident that people will notice new band when its time for it. It may not make it to many top lists of 2021 yet, as people are yet to hear, but in couple years some may be complaining how to hell one can find this - just like happened with HÖH cd...

I think those who have been wanting to hear new kind of ”noise”, could discover things from currently active Finn noise scene. KSNK has always been unique. MOGAO each release so far seems to be better than you hear last time. Moozzhead is just pure bliss of pedal noise done unlike a lot of things one thinks as ”pedal noise”. H.Ö.H. Might not be utterly HARSH all the time, but I count it in noise.  Amek-Maj has been doing recordings where its all noise, but there is no template, there is no exact style. Different approach every time. YANA the same thing. Sometimes sheer noise, but not always. UMPIO has put out a lot of things so people may not catch up all, but I’d recommend to do so little by little! Releases have difference compared to eachother and most of all, different to a lot of noise out there. If you liked new tape on Satatuhatta, you’ll dig the latest CD on Freak Animal or the notch older stuff that came out on Russian label with difficult name to type correctly, haha.
Tyhjä Pää has been doing very unique highly electric harsh noise. One can check for example Kolari compilation where he triumphs. So many things happening, but being like wall of harsh noise. Makes me think of DDDD/Therminosis/Ministry of -era Incapacitants, but MORE hectic and busy.
On latest Terässinfonia compilations (3 and 4 ) there is plenty of Finn HARSH noise too, but also noise that is not all just harsh blast. It may sound as if honking my own horn here, but really I just picked the cherries into compilations, all artists responsible for their greatness.

If one picks up 5 parts of KOLARI cd series and 4 parts of Terässinfonia, there is pretty good coverage, but not complete, of Finnish noise at 2020’ish.

[murderous_vision]

Is anyone carrying Terässinfonia 3&4 in the USA?

[absurdexposition]

Is anyone carrying Terässinfonia 3&4 in the USA?

I have copies here. Media Mail shipping to USA https://www.screamandwrithe.com/

[Soloman Tump]

Wince - "Traum" CD
What a weird harsh noise album. At first when I put this in my player I thought the CD was broken! Just this low hiss for minutes, but after checking from other sources I realised this is how it's supposed to be. Traum takes awhile to grow on you, first song is mostly mid volume hiss with subtle changes undernearth the textures, so to speak. Then it sort of explodes on your face suddenly. Luckily I did not have my speakers too loud at this point. Overall very challenging album for me, lenght is just perfect, 40 minutes. But this certainly needs some attention while listening, not an easy type of relentless noise blasting, but more like the sound is stalking the listener and taking no prisoners when the time comes.

This was the album that got me back listening to noise when it was released. The shifts in intensity and the layers buried below actually made me realise that there could be more to noise, with more interesting compositions and production levels than the stuff I had previously listened to. 

[AKTI Records]

Flies Inside The Sun - Flies Inside The Sun CD

One of my all time favorite release from NZ improv scene. Ethereal at times, but overall atmosphere is freakout-ish and introverted. A fever dream of some sorts. Seen by some as the side project of the more traditional and slightly more known Dadamah, but oh boy! This CD is improvisation at its best. Constant risk taking and unbelievable hive mindism.

Kartio - Sähkömusiikki CSx2

P.D steps into the world of musique concrete and damn he takes the step impressively. With samples from unindentifiable classical music, modular synthesis fuckery and reel-to-reel manipulation Dassum nods of to the greats of avantgarde (Xenakis and Schaeffer especially come to my mind while listening to this) with the agressive style that is familiar to those who have listened to his projects Umpio and Häkki. Aesthetically unique and most welcome act in Finland.

[WCN]

Wince - "Traum" CD
What a weird harsh noise album. At first when I put this in my player I thought the CD was broken! Just this low hiss for minutes, but after checking from other sources I realised this is how it's supposed to be. Traum takes awhile to grow on you, first song is mostly mid volume hiss with subtle changes undernearth the textures, so to speak. Then it sort of explodes on your face suddenly. Luckily I did not have my speakers too loud at this point. Overall very challenging album for me, lenght is just perfect, 40 minutes. But this certainly needs some attention while listening, not an easy type of relentless noise blasting, but more like the sound is stalking the listener and taking no prisoners when the time comes.

This was the album that got me back listening to noise when it was released. The shifts in intensity and the layers buried below actually made me realise that there could be more to noise, with more interesting compositions and production levels than the stuff I had previously listened to. 

I feel it’s not so often that people listen to this album (or Shame) in the way I intended them to, so I really appreciate reading comments like this.

[MT]

My ongoing series of Cloama reviews continues...

Cloama - "At The Mountains of Paranoia" CD
I like to think of this album as an more crude sibling of "Embargoed". Instead of subtle sound, this has harsh guitar walls, distorted vocal work and lots of metal sound treatment. Has some really intense low tones at times, and at times if floats around at the mountains of paranoia, yet always has this dense feeling and sense of dread in the air. Lyrics are provided in the booklet that somewhat opens up the world full of paranoia. But for me the absolute highlight of the album is the closing track "Transforma Delle Maschere", here the album changes mood totally, to a beautiful elegy, once again. Second Cloama release to have this operatic ending track. This one takes the cake by far. Drum sound pounding certain rhythm, and lots of carefully treated metal sounds with utmost delicacy, on top beautiful operatic vocals layered on top of each other. I had to spin this track like four times before I was satisfied. Remarkable.

Cloama - "s/t" CD
This was the first Cloama release I bought after getting 'Manual of Diagnosis' and 'Dogs of Total Order' from STROM.ec. I was expecting the punchy brutality, harsh vocals and industrial grittiness since I had heard some of 'Revisionist Knowledge' as well. But Neuroscan distro didn't have that, so I got this. And boy was I taken by a surprise to meet electro-acoustic soundscape, consisting of instruments and sounds I still have no idea what they are. Cover images for some reason always gave me the feeling of Chernobyl, toxic waste water with twisted metal spiraling in the water. But I think this is not what the artist meant. But later thinking this isn't such a weird release in Cloama history, just another brave leap to unknown waters. At the time I was disappointed, but nowdays I really appreciate this release.