Ho99o9 "Dead Bodies In The Lake" (2014)

Horror, stylized Ho99o9, are an American Hip Hop duo from Los Angeles who perform a noisy and twisted, dark breed of Hip Hop influenced by Hardcore Punk and Horrorcore. Its most likely that people will draw comparisons with Death Grips as a influence when discussing this band, however this mixtape would suggest that despite their abrasive and noisy approaches to Hip Hop they are fundamentally different in terms of inspiration and attitude. I caught them at Download Festival and the fifteen minutes of their set blew me away, so much rebellious energy and stage presence. Their most impressive song was "DeathKult Disciplines" which can be found on this record so that's where I decided to start.

"Dead Bodies In The Lake" sets the tone with an audio clip from a movie of young kids discussing guns and a dead body they found. From there it grows with dissonant bass synths and outbursts of Hardcore guitars into a Punk sprawl of smashing crash symbols and restless shouted vocals throwing words like raps while remaining firmly Hardcore. After two tracks a gurgling baseline and sinister synth line pull together with a hollow beat to form the foundations of a hellish, paranoid Rap song. Its lead melody paranoid and deranged, taking a trip into a psychotic mind.

The record flexes between these two styles, in one half its wild, energetic and full of loud rebellion fit for mosh pits and hardcore dancing. On the other it dives into horrid, dingy, back alley raps spite with psychotic personas. The duo have a charm for hooks when slamming along to the distortion guitars which are often grooving, the accommodating arsenal of rambunctious drumming and frittering electronic noises amplify their wild tone with an infectious stir. The twos flows when performing more traditional raps aren't exactly spectacular and the extent of their horror shock lyrics doesn't save the Rap side of the record from feeling dull and played out. They have a full length on the way, I hope they steer the ship towards the better half of their sound which has a unique flair and bright chemistry great for live shows.

Favorite Track: DeathKult Disciplines

Rating 5/10

Neptune Towers "Transmissions From Empire Algol" (1995)

The second of two ambient records by Norwegian Darkthrone musician Fenriz has little of the ambiguous charm "Caravans To Empire Algol" did. Its another oddity of transforming sounds with little direction or immersion to offer. In its merit there is an aquatic quality about the first songs choice of sounds, sometimes resembling whales, however it amounts to very little in the grand scheme of things. The first tract slogs its way through a collection of friendlier sounds with less drone and fuzz than its predecessor, a chilling organ pops up in the middle and other electronic leads take over following it. Although unnerving, mysterious and illusive in their own way they never get to add up to anything grander with what mood the instrument sets simply drifting out into next shift in the song, dispelling what little magic it conjoured.

The second track bares an uncanny resemblance to Kraftwerk and possibly "Endless Endless" with similar electronic tones and even the melodies sounding distinctly similar if not reminiscent of their approach to composition. It could also be a case of the equipment used having default sounds but I have uncovered no information on how it was composed. Again it drifts through a set of sounds however the aimlessly dispel the vibe when they transition with little correlation. The first record had more ambiguity and mystic going for itself with its dense drones and occasional whiff of a tune in the baseline. "Transmissions..." is more accessible but in that the lack of direction, purpose or composure is further exposed, resulting in a rather forgettable experience if not mildly enjoyable in the mood for ambience.

Rating: 2/10

Neptune Towers "Caravans To Empire Algol" (1994)

This record had the makings of something great, a mysterious album cover, the promise of dark and eerie ambient music. Side project of Norwegian Darkthone musician Fenriz, at the bands creative peak and released on Moonfog Productions. Unfortunately the music didn't quite live up to what one might expect but nothing appalling is in store, rather a mediocre ambience piece that does enough to define itself with a touch of memorable atmosphere that it can call its own.

An organic horn like noise confronts us as it morphs into a deep wall of fuzzy noise. Perilous to any tune or melody it shifts and transforms through bizarre and claustrophobic sounds packing sharp wave forms into a narrow range of frequency. Eventually a deep plodding melody creeps into the forefront to find itself quickly replaced by roaring noises and sweeping hisses. This continual metamorphosis resembles organs at one moment before our baseline returns to be replaced by a fluttery, swirling, heaving growth of sound around the twelve minute mark. At the sixteenth minute the rapid fluctuations make an uncanny zap lazer sound, dispelling the ambience with its lack of subtlety. The second track starts by falling to a black, unnerving atmosphere with low, creepy, rumbling distortions, soft and hidden in the tracks reverb. The rest mostly experiments with cascading sounds often feel as if they are descending, being sucked down into the darkness before ending with some rather paranoid sounds.

Its a strange and unusual experience, reminding me fondly of old black and white sci-fi horror movies with its stark and and adventurous use of primitive technology. I now find myself fascinated as to how this record was composed, in many moments the turning of knobs and dials can be felt but many of the tones and sounds created are quite mysterious and do not lend themselves to be understood. The process behind its creation could well be remarkable as its ambiguity serves to be its strength. Great listen but I didn't experience much that warranted my return after a few listens.

Rating: 4/10

Foetus "Gash" (1995)

Starting from zero, the opening track "Mortgage" slowly progresses through a grudging beat that pounds as pounds as instruments and abstract sounds pile into the mix one by one. Narrated by musician J.G.Thirlwell the song evolves into a noisy, dissident dystopia of sound colliding together with strange harmony and balance. Its says much of this experimental record which juxtaposes all sort of musical styles with the ever-present noisy Industrial backbone in a chaotic fold of sound. Foetus is the main project of aforementioned Australian Experimental musician  J.G.Thirlwell who has built a large body of unique music over the years, under multiple pseudonyms. As well as developing connections with some prolific artists in the 90s, his own work has never seen much commercial success or critical acclaim but has certainly carved him a niche that sees him active to this day. "Gash" serves to be his biggest record, the only one to ever make a release on a major record label, Sony, who can be seen on the album cover, possibly intentional.

A lot of what is established in the first track is elaborated on throughout the album, noisy, Industrial tracks with a less intensive focus or vibe. Underneath the hard shell the guitars play out some Rock / Metal like riffs with minimal intensity, they often compliment leads and melodies brought in an array of instruments and styles that seem to consistently pull from different sources track to track. After moments of intense noise abuse, and eerie synths the album finds its way to a Swing / Big Band number "Slung", its jiving swing leads and clamorous undertone meld and stroll into a lengthy jam fest that returns to the main theme across eleven minutes. The track that follows couldn't find itself further away, a screeching, dark number. Thirlwell's vocal performance give this snarling shock rock track a Manson vibe. The bizarreness continues as a Classical, theatrical war like composition leads us into a quite genius dramatic piece that utilizes the progression of its noisy oddities with a peaking string number. Its an album of surprises and experimentation that doesn't fail to get your attention.

With the good often comes some bad, and this record would tip the scales in the wrong direction with its production which served to really hurt its potential to be great. This album is also produced by Thirlwell who's worked with big names before, but here on his own record his production style has held back everything great thats at work. I've listened to my fair share of Avant-Guard, genre blending music, and more so than often the unusual ideas presented need to be complimented by decent production. The guitars on this record are muddy, foggy and loose their impact in this messy production which fails to facilitate the needs of each instrument. The drums are thin and flat, the bass is a low fuzzy growl that occasionally gets noticed for something other than a loud rumbling, and for all of the extra instrumentation that comes and goes, none of it comes into the mix without clashing with something. Noise may be an important aesthetic here, but it can come from the layers of strange noises and instruments without clashing. With so much going on in the same space the low fidelity makes it difficult to absorb without focus and effort. Track after track throws down fantastic ideas, riffs and leads that are buried amongst one another and serve to suck the moment dry with lackluster fidelity. Its been a while since I've heard a record so hurt by production, but its a reminder that good musical ideas are not everything.

Rating: 5/10

Favorite Tracks: Mortgage, Mighty Whity, Slung, Steal Your Life Away, Mutapump

The Young Gods "TV Sky" (1992)

The Young Gods are an Industrial Rock group from Switzerland formed in the mid 80s. Hailed as a "bands band" TYGs have been sited as a significant influence on many popular Industrial acts, including Nine Inch Nails. "TV Sky" is their third record, and for me its another piece of the Industrial puzzle I have been fascinated with in recent years. As a kid I had been over exposed to Industrial music through endless listening of Frank Klepacki's C&C soundtracks in the mid 90s, and every band I discover and listen to feels like a piece of the tapestry unraveling itself.

"TV Sky" is a lofty record with a mechanized pace that cruises through a laborious and desolate landscape. With every listen an image of a hover-car speeding through a derelict city consumed by a barren desert races through my mind, you can smell the oil in the blistering heat. This wild and vivid sound is consistent throughout the record of 8 tracks, 7 of which make up a shorter 28 minutes before the album rains out with a 19 minute saga. The repetitive and pounding nature of this record is complimented by Franz Muse's gruff, drawn vocals that grind out, adding the human touch, but always at the mercy of the industrious mechanical instrumentals, its a nice chemistry and his strong Swiss accent ads a touch of foreign into the mix.

The instrumentals are king on this record, forging a soundscape epitome of its fraction in the Industrial sound. Sharp, robotic guitars play out mechanical stop start riffs in unison with the gritty pounding drums that stamp out rigid rhythms. Grooving underneath the surface is that classic bold, warm and chunky Industrial bass guitar, always a welcome element. With the core of their sound down, TYGs bring their uniqueness through some sudden and dense electronics that burst into these songs, a lot of the complimentary sounds tend to burst in quick as they fade out, which subtly ads to the vibe through an "on/off" switch like execution. Additional guitars waver in and out of focus with noisy abstract guitar sounds and distortions, deepening the rich atmosphere this record offers. Its a casual listening experience that doesn't demand much of the listener, it pounds away like a ride you can hop on or off at any point. The easy pace and purely rhythmic approach gives it a touch of ambiance that makes it an easy record to absorb.

Favorite Track: TV Sky

Rating: 6/10

Pharmakon "Abandon" (2013)

Hailing from New York, USA, Pharmakon is the moniker of Power Noise musician Margaret Chardiet. "Abandon" is her debut full length that confronts the listener musically and visually with its repulsive album art that is powerfully suggestive without any use of explicit imagery. It sets the tone for a depraved and dark record that will unsettle the listener. Unlike much music of this nature Margaret's compositions are in fact composed as opposed to improvisational pieces so often found in Power Noise and Depraved music. It is testament to this record where each track sets an immersible tone by design and explores the darker reaches of the mind with purpose and intent.

The instrumentals of this record are carefully woven soundscapes that brood and drone through lengthy periods. Detailed power synthesizers create an array of textured sounds that are stitched together with a minimalistic edge, forging a cold and unforgiving noise dragged along by slow, bludgeoning thuds and hits resembling a beat to guide a psychotic narrative. On their own the instrumentals are not as intense or abrasive as the overall mood of these songs, individually the instruments are not ear piecing or especially dark, more alien and industrial, but brought together they become nightmarish and dizzying experiences.

Margaret's biggest asset is her voice. The instrumentals set the tone, but it is her phenomenal scream and range of sound that drags you down to hell. Using some slight reverb and at times some additional distortion, these vocals cover a range of dark emotions, at times sounding like a tortured soul held against will, or a malevolent spirit that would inflict such torturous cruelty. On the track "Ache" you hear the two almost at communication with one another. On "Pitted" she executes some tribal, ritualistic clean leads that chant and dance through the fog. The overall execution and production of this record is solid, the crafted nature of the instrumentals and powerful vocals create a confrontational and immersible listening experience that leaves a lasting impression.

Favorite Tracks: Pitted, Crawling On Bruised Knees

Rating: 6/10

Techno Animal "Ghosts" (1991)

As an avid music fan, I consider music to be an experience, one that can go to many noisy extremes. Techno Animal is a project that many may turn their noses up, you might say its "noise" or not music, but to do so would miss the point. Music is sound that purposely provokes an emotional response, and that response is not always warm or positive. Music like this explores the dark side of life, through depraved torturous sounds and noises fit for the darkest of scenarios. It takes a certain mindset to embrace this exploration, and the enjoyment one can get from it is unusual and fascinating. On my map of dark and experimental music, this seems like a potentially progressive record given the pre-internet times, however its over a decade since Throbbing Gristle, an extremely important English group born out of the Punk movement who could be considered an early origin for Industiral music, and inspiring darker depraved styles. Techno Animal is a project composed of Justin Broadrick of Godflesh and Kevin Martin and "Ghosts" is their first release which notably is on Virgin Records who at the time may have been taking chances signing experimental and unconventional artists.

Ghosts is a hit and miss record for me, for this we are going to go through the track one by one. The album opens with "Burn", an ugly abrasive song with a snarling scream accompanied by a punchy drum kit and strange hits that builds an atmosphere I felt the drums were cutting through and spoiling what it had to offer. With "Walk Then Crawl" what sounds like a Godflesh outtake on an odd time signature is repeated over and over, as eerie, ghostly haunting screams and moans building up in a twisted progression that leads to an unusual climax. "White Dog" is another noisy exploration with another industrial kit punching through the songs atmosphere, for me the drum kits were too comfortable and familiar for the twisted experience the sampling bring. "Freak Fucker" is a gem, What sounds like a quote from a Nazi rally is repeated over and over. Distorted and twisted as horrid, slimy, scissoring sounds snake around in the background, it feels rather poetic, as if the twisted noise is the dark underbelly of Nazism. "The Dream Forger" is a pleasant break from the devilish onslaught, an unidentifiable wind like instrument hums a gentle, yet unsettling melody that eerily drifts into a warm haze of sound. "Tough Cop / Soft Cop" Gets dark and heavy, this time i left the drums nailed it. An uncompromising rhythm guides you through a wall of hateful screams and screeching saxophones and distant voices that feels like you're being dragged to hell, a grabbing listen. "God VS Flesh" brings 23 minutes of gentle spooky ambiance, building a immersible soundscape that is chilling and dangerous. It progress with craft, never feeling safe, but always moving towards a dramatic conclusion towards the end. "Spineless" is my favorite track, layers of distant screams, groans and whispers build a distressing intensity that broods menacingly, theres an occasional heart beat dropped into the track, creating an air of human fear, ending this one with a lasting impression.

Overall an immersible, unsettling listening experience that explores dark and depraved places. Only spoiled by a couple of tracks where the drums just ruined it for me, this is a great record for anyone looking to be confronted by what they don't want to hear.

 Favorite Tracks: Freak Fucker, The Dream Forger, God Vs Flesh, Spineless

Rating: 7/10

Darkspace "III I" (2014)

Three piece group Darkspace from Switzerland have produced a sound so terrifyingly dark and claustrophobic they would be an earful for many a Black Metal fan. Having found them through 2008's "III" i have been fascinated by their conceptual sound and output. Each album is titled in roman numerals and each song is simply "Dark x.y" x being album, y being song number. This unusual and minimalist approach ties well to there cosmic vibe, giving the songs little identity to attach to the bleak soundscapes. I initially thought this was an EP, having 3 tracks, being "III I" instead of "IV", but these tracks are long and this is a full length. One i have certainly been enjoying.

Six years since the last release the band have been frozen on ice, there is not much change to their cold, void-like, nihilistic sound. The mix is relatively similar to "III" where Darkspace found the sound that worked best for their atmospheric music. Condensing all instruments into a dense wall of colorless sound, it can be a little hard to get your ears around at first, but there is a genius where as your ears adjust you are surrounded and immersed in a rich sound that sucks you in. For a 27 minute song, and two 18s, these songs hold up well in a challenge to keep the listener engaged. The progression is key as these songs drift through long passages that build and build as the themes and depths explored intensify. 

The bands approach to song writing understands and appreciates their own immersible qualities, with many riffs and lead sections being drawn out across many minutes, sucking the listener in. There's a great range of cosmic synths, electro melodies and mystic, awe-inspiring sounds that provide these songs with much depth. The heavy rhythm guitar that bursts through the track returns on this record, and the drumming is precise and mechanical as ever, always providing fast paced blasting that sits subtly in the background. Everything is good with this record, but I would of hoped for more evolution with their sound, however the "III" formula is impeccable and perhaps why this one was named "III I".

Favorite Song: 4.19

Rating 7/10

Dødheimsgard "666 International" (1999)

Today I felt like talking about a record I've been revisiting recently. Must of been around 10 years ago I found this unique little album that fuses the styling of Black Metal with a noisy Industrial sound. The result is distant from its obvious influences and from start to end provides a dizzying, abrasive listen that visits many musical contexts, but also delivers some memorable tunes. The album opens with a bang, a descending, clean piano clashes with a blitz blast beat and brimming guitar distortion that pass into a weary, bleak landscape as Aldrahn introduces himself with clean, poetic vocals that build the mood. Quickly the direction changes as the vocals become demonic and guttural, the intensity builds from the guitars and drums, and the tone for this album is set.

From this point onwards Dodheimsgard, translated "Home Of Death", move through many artistic, avant-guard musical passages that are as enjoyable as they are intriguing and bizarre. There are dizzying, nauseous blast beats and rhythmic groves mixed with abstract sounds and instrumentation that even find room for screeching noise abuse at the end of "Final Conquest". Anything goes, it may seem, but despite how abstract the styles and influences explored in this album are, Dodheimsgard hold it together in memorable fashion. And of course this dizzying listen is parted by piano interludes that provide a needed contrast.

The production is not the cleanest, but its flaws are strengths in this noisy record filled with absurdities, there was little that could go wrong. With such a wide range of sounds, drum kits and even guitar distortions its impressive to think there are no moment in this record where anything feels underwhelming or overlooked. As a whole it feels thorough and ready to fit its purpose, which is musical exploration at its extremes.

Favorite Tracks: Shivra-Interface, Ion Storm, Final Conquest, Sonar Bliss

Rating: 7/10

Deerhoof "Apple O'" (2003)

Deerhoof are a four piece band from California who have been utilizing a DIY ethic for 20 years, producing 13 albums and various EPs. I recently stumbled across this record which has proven to be a delightful one. My first impression had me thinking this would be a challenging listen, but i gravitated towards it quickly. It has since expanded my view of what constitutes music and musical aesthetics.

Apple O' is a quirky record that defies conventional musical norms with its sporadic and abrasive sound. From track to track there is an ever growing progression between noisy and melodic elements that exist in a explosive and unconventional environment. With odd time signatures and simplistic riffing Deerhoof harness the most simplistic of musical pleasures and package them into quirky songs that flow in there own direction, free of conventional song structure. When you deconstruction the songs in your mind its easy to see what makes these songs works, however there creation has a subtle touch of genius I couldn't see myself recreating.

The riffage on this album is varied, sometimes metalic, punkish or even stadium rock, but its always performed in a brash, clunky, out of tune act that give this record the quirky and sporadic vibe aforementioned. The drumming is fantastic, wild, free flowing and interesting throughout. It may be a little shadowed by the guitar, but its impressive and a highlight. Matsuzaki's vocals are playful and have a childish energy about them, often singing quietly alongside screeching guitars, she provides another quirk to this record with her wordless vocals adding extra dimensions to the intense guitars. Their sound and style on this record is in full effect, theres plenty of memorable moments and the album progresses into a more melodic state before blowing up near the end with the intense track "Adam + Eve Connection", which gradually builds and explodes with distortion. A great listening experience!

Favorite Tracks: Sealed With A Kiss, Flower, My Diamond Star Car, L'amour Stories, Panda Panda Panda

Rating: 6/10