lunes, 29 de agosto de 2011

LXII. Malaria! | Compiled 1981-1984




















Compiled 1981-1984
©Moabit Musik. Deutschland, 2001.


‟So from the demise of Mania D, Bettina Koester and Gudrun Gut formed this band along with several others from the scene. Their first single "How Do You Like My New Dog" was actually the song that caught my attention, very dark yet somehow very catchy it's a very cool song. Their overall sound is rather eerie and moody with sort of post-punk/industrial sound with some neat little effects and noises throughout.  I love the way they make their music sort of blur when they really get frenzied and get going, it's so satisfying sounding.  My other favorite tunes from this compilation are "Kaltes Kalres Wasser" (which I understand to be their other biggest hit), "Geh Duschen", "Zarah" and "Your Turn To Run" however I do completely enjoy this entire compilation.  They actually managed to put out 2 albums and several EPs in the '80s, then reformed in the early '90s for another release.  I don't think that this compilation has everything they've recorded unfortunately but the material on here is pure gold and well worth hearing.  I think I love the fact that this group of German women were out there making music as gloomy as the boys without ever complaining about feminine problems or taking it to joke territory. On the other hand, I can't understand German so maybe they are... but I don't know the difference.‟

Goregirl







  

domingo, 28 de agosto de 2011

LXI. O Quam Tristis | Le Rituel Sacré




















Le Rituel Sacré
©Palace Of Worms. Italia, 2002.


In two years they have grown to a very good level of composition. This can be described as neo Gregorian ambient. Every track here is a small masterpiece. All the music develops in a very natural way from “Oferimus Tibi” till “Et incarnatus est” giving you the opportunity to travel in the Dark Ages. The vocals are of a very good quality, and more Gregorian than on the other CD. Also the atmosphere is great. This music cannot be described in words. Worthy to listen and to buy!!!‟


 Carlaont Catalin




LX. Clan Of Xymox | Medusa




















Medusa
©4AD. UK, 1986.


Hay musica en nuestras vidas. La usamos como una maquina del tiempo sin perillas, como algo que dé un marco a alguna situacion que en nuestra escala de valores, es "importante"(aunque ya sabemos que para el resto del mundo es banal), o bien para viajar dentro nuestro. Y seguramente que para miles de cosas mas.
Si, es importante la musica. Es por eso que escribimos aca, es por eso que nos late el corazon de mas esperando algun disco que creemos bueno, es por eso que nos enfurecemos con las decepciones, es por eso que alguna vieja cancion nos puede remover la basura interior que tapaba alguna pena que queriamos ocultar. Automaticamente trasladamos acordes, escalas y ritmos a alguna playa en un verano ya descolorido, al olor de un perfume que nos lleno en un abrazo que era despedida, al sabor dulzon de una maquina de humo en alguna pista, a un largo viaje en la parte trasera de un auto.
"Medusa" es uno de esos albumes con canciones que provocan eso en mi. Su materia prima, las ideas que lo moldearon,las fases por las que tuvo que pasar para salir al mundo,todo eso hoy es banal.Porque mi vida le dio el valor que hoy tiene para mi.
En Holanda, a principios de los ochenta unos jóvenes creían (como muchos en esa epoca) que lo oscuro era mas bello que lo luminoso. Y si, yo siempre creí que la luz no deja misterios, te los revela, pero la oscuridad te hace pensar en que habra alrededor tuyo. Puedes temer, pensar, imaginar. Porque no sabes. La luz es toda realidad, es el mundo desnudo frente a ti, sin tapujos, sin esquinas invisibles. Dije que estaba en un momento muy "dark"?.
Nimjegen era la ciudad, y el año era 1983. Ronny Moorings, Anka Wolbert y Pieter Nooten, ellos eran los jovenes. Ya en Amsterdam, editan "Subsequent Pleasures", no pasa nada, hasta que 4 AD les echa el ojo. Y a lanzar en 1985, su album debut (llamado como la banda), que no era mas que una regrabacion de "SP", aliviando el espiritu tecno pop y decantandolo hacias zonas mas acusticas y profundas.

Para continuar semejante obra (es "Stranger" el mejor tema de los ochenta?), decidieron hacer un album similar, pero de mayor carga emotiva y un poco mas oscuro. Y ese disco fue este "Medusa". Su mejor trabajo y la cima de su carrera.
Conceptualmente, en el disco convergen varios de los estilos que habian hecho eclosion en la primera mitad de la decada: lo etéreo, el darkwave, el gotico, algo de tecno pop. Pero es la calidad de las canciones que hace que este disco deje en verguenza a mas de un imitador.
El disco es corto, ya que de diez temas, algunos son instrumentales que funcionan como una introduccion al mundo de Medusa (como "Theme I") y otros que actuan de puente ("Theme II"). En ambos, la melancolia es extrema. "Theme I" marca el tono general del album, recuerdos que lastiman, un adios que dolió demasiado, una carta a medio escribir en donde decimos que nos vamos y no volveremos. Inmediatamente despues viene "Medusa", la cancion, construida a base de una agradable melodia y una base programada.

"Finalmente, he visto la luz en tus ojos/y ahora glorifico mi destino tragico".
La pena de la perdida y la vida que es un tormento.
Sigue "Michelle", propulsada por una pontente guitarra acustica, tocada con furia. La mujer como motivo de desgracia en los (pobres) hombres. Pero asi como una nos puede matar, solo otra mujer nos puede salvar.
Luego de "Theme II" viene el segundo mejor tema del album, "Louise". Semejante en lo musical a "Michelle", pero el tono de la cancion es totalmente devastador.

"Louise, siempre recordare ese dia/me arrodille pidiendo que te quedaras".
La vida vacia despues de perder el amor.Que queda luego?.

"Louise, Louise, Louise/mi corazon antes solia latir/ahora solo llora"
No, lo "dark" no es acerca de vampiros, cráneos y estetica vacia. Es acerca de la vacuidad de todo. Especialmente cuando creimos, tontamente, que podiamos llenar de significado esto que llamamos "vida".
"Lorrentine" comienza como musica pelicula triste,y asi termina.No hay alegria luego del dolor.
"Agonized by love" es el tema mas "alegre" del disco. Porque el hombre se ha vuelto a enamorar. El dolor no tardara en llegar, una alegria es solo el preludio de una pena. La rueda de Ixión a full.
"Masquerade" es cantada por Anke. "Esa mascara que usas/ahora parece tan irreal/fria como el hielo". Si, la peor soledad es estar con alguien que no se ama,que simula, y nosotros simulamos con esa persona. Una verdadera "mascarada" para intentar ser felices.
"After the call" es una balada orquestal, de acuerdo con el tono general y la tematica del álbum.
Para el final, el mejor tema del disco, "Back door". Unos pasos se dirigen a ningun lugar, la bateria electronica, los lamentos, la tristeza. La locura que viene luego de la espera eterna, del regreso que jamas se materializará. "Y otra vez tropiezo en la puerta trasera/viendote a ti,una sombra....mañana estare aqui de nuevo"
Musicalmente potente (la parte final es de antologia), liricamente preciosa."Estoy cansado de risas y lagrimas/o de lo que pueda venir de aqui en mas".Si,esa sera mi lapida.El hastío de la vida."
Lo habian logrado, un disco conceptual acerca del amor,la perdida,la vida.Pero el camino de la banda de alli en mas sería muy distinto.

Pieter Nooten deja a Clan of xymox, editan un maxi ("Blind hearts") que prefigura, entre bambalinas, la orientacion pop que finalmente tomarán. De alli en mas serán solo Xymox. Y lograran el exito en 1989 con "Twist of shadows", un bello disco que poco tiene que ver con la primera etapa del grupo Xymox editará disco tras disco, con cambios estilisticos muy marcados, hasta que en 1997 volverán a ser Clan of xymox, en una carrera que llega hasta nuestros dias.

Pero "Medusa" quedará el dia de mañana, como su imperecedero testamento como una oda a la soledad y la desesperanza. Y mientras haya alguna lagrima recorriendo el camino señalado por la gravedad, provocada por alguna pena del corazon, discos como este jamas pasaran de moda.‟


Meek


 

sábado, 27 de agosto de 2011

LIX. Camerata Mediolanense | Musica Reservata




















Musica Reservata
©My Castle. Italia, 1994.


Camerata Mediolanense es una formación milanesa activa fundamentalmente en los ’90, publicando en estos años sus tres larga duración, a saber, «Música Reservata» de 1994 publicado en su propio sello My Castle, «Campo di Marte» de 1996 publicado en Discordia/Triton y por último «Madrigali» que vio la luz en 1999 también en Discordia/Triton. Completan su discografía un 10” «L’Alfiere», compartido con Pavor Nocturnus publicado en Eis & Licht en 2001, Un single en directo «Lago di Varese», también en 2001, editado por Les Joyaux de la Princesse, y la trilogía «Inferno», una colección de tres singles editada por My Castle, de la cual falta por editarse la última parte.

Es un grupo capital dentro del Dark Folk, con un estilo genuinamente propio, en el que mezclan el neoclasicismo con la música marcial, con instrumentos como el clavicordio, más presente en sus primeros trabajos, y unas voces con formación academicista a cargo de Daniela Bedeski y Trevor. Los tambores marciales aparecen en su segundo trabajo y le otorgan una potencia considerable a sus composiciones.


 AlienMilitant



 

lunes, 22 de agosto de 2011

LVIII. Throbbing Gristle | 20 Jazz Funk Greats



















  
20 Jazz Funk Greats
©Industrial Records. UK, 1979.


20 Jazz Funk Greats is a transitional album for Throbbing Gristle the band and a deep ripple of impression for musical attitudes all over. Often suggested as a starting point for the band, its a bit of a conundrum in that it is also the least representative of their live sound and philosophy. This results in its being a sort of testing ground for initiates, who either like what they hear and seek out the rough-edges of DoA or savage the album for its 'unmusical' pathos - though what that means evades me. Whereas the previous album proper was a collage/barrage of live/in-studio/industrial howl/dark-ambient/electronic sounds, this one is a bit less disquieting, though its best moments are exactly that. Early techno rhythms, dark-electro-ambient pieces, psychotic sing-speak and even some processed trumpet alluded to in the 'jazz' of the not-so-ironic title.

It stands on its own and that's what counts. The second side is nearly perfect. 'Walkabout' is beautiful pop, 'What a Day' is subverted techno before techno even had a chance to be straight-laced and 'Persuasion' sets a claustrophobic mood of perversion like no other. The first side tends more towards 'dark ambient' pieces such as 'Beachy Head' or the laidback, vibraphone-touched 'Tanith'. 'Convincing People' is a personal favorite, as it swings to a simple grungebox guitar lick and the repetition of Genesis' voice (which is always instantly recognizable and kind of soothing to me, oddly enough).

I have difficulty rating it as of yet - Throbbing Gristle albums are always more rewarding once digested and they're always a composite of conundrums, so I'll give it more time to grow - but expect a high number.

If you let the album stand alone for what it is and don't compare it to their earlier releases, you'll see that the group were open-minded enough to pursue this direction - and it's one that influenced countless Industrial, EBM, Dark Ambient, Minimal Wave and Coldwave artists to do what they do best. Reflect on the influences around them and then progress things a little further.

7 AA 1KS
 



domingo, 21 de agosto de 2011

LVII. Beyond Sensory Experience | No Lights In Our Eyes




















No Lights In Our Eyes
©Cold Meat Industry. Sverige, 2008.


‟The Swedish depressive duo Beyond Sensory Experience returns with No Lights In Our Eyes, BSE’s seventh album overall and their second for Cold Meat Industry, following The Dull Routine Of Existence (also reviewed by Judas Kiss). BSE consists of K. Meizter, last heard by these ears collaborating with Polish project Horologium on Eight Studies In Transition, and Drakhon, sometimes of MZ.412.
  
As with the Dull Routine… album, BSE’s brand of dark ambient is distinctively enervated and wan, with quiet, desultory piano lines, distant and washed-out vocal samples, simple, plangent drones and echoes, and an overwhelming feeling of listless despair. Not an ideal party album, then, but powerful in its own quiet way. No Lights In Our Eyes is evidently conceived as a companion piece to the Pursuit Of Pleasure and Dull Routine… albums, with the focus this time around on ‘death and the subconscious sides of life’. Sex, futile routines and death – BSE’s take on human existence isn’t exactly life-affirming, but it fits rather well into the grimly stoical Scandinavian tradition of such figures as Ingmar Bergman and Søren Kierkegaard.
  
No Lights In Our Eyes contains ten tracks extending over 56 minutes, and beginning with the somber organ drones and lonely piano notes of ‘Funerals’. Whispered vocals emphasise the atmosphere of disconnection and remoteness. Other particularly interesting tracks include ‘Across The Divide’, whichc has a warmer, fuller sound and even the vestiges of a trip-hop beat under jangling guitar, augmented by sweeps of orchestral strings, the title track, ‘No Lights In Our Eyes’, which at nearly nine minutes is the longest on the album, and which again employs slowly plucked guitar over ambient background drones, and ‘Hearts And Minds’, another long track, based on a repeated phrase of four plucked notes interspersed with strange muffled whimpering and sobbing, leading into extended church-organ drones reminiscent of Nico’s harmonium work, and a repeated refrain of “In our hearts – in our memories”. Nico, in fact, is a good comparison point for the work of BSE in general, for whilst BSE, of course, lack her unmistakable vocals, they do share a similarly dark and grief-stricken worldview. It’s also easy to imagine BSE’s music being used on the soundtrack of gloomy European arthouse films.
  
There’s no doubt that the music of Beyond Sensory Experience will not appeal to everyone, maybe not even all dark ambient fans. Thrill-seekers and those with short attention spans are going to find this music boring and pointless. And although there’s plenty of sadness to be found here, BSE have little to offer in the way of romantic melancholy – their music is just too bleak and stark. But those with introverted, depressive tendencies may find a sparse and wintry satisfaction in BSE’s understated but quietly devastating ambient.‟

Simon Collins





sábado, 20 de agosto de 2011

LVI. L'ahká Múza | Tieň Bolesti


















Tieň Bolesti
©Zoon. Československo, 1992.


En 1989, termina el gobierno comunista en Checoslovaquia, y esto afecta inmediatamente al campo de las artes. Muchas de las actividades underground tiene finalmente el derecho a su legal existencia. Uno de ellos, es la discográfica de Praga, Black Point, que se especializó en la música checa.
A finales del año 90, el guitarrista German H. deja la banda y un nuevo sonido de guitarra se introduce; esta vez más minimalista e industrial. En este periodo graban "Nevinnost". Black Point se interesa por sus dos álbumes y los lanza al mercado en 1991. Coincidiendo con el claro auge del movimiento industrial se les invita al Festival Industrial de Praga. Presentan en vivo "Nevinnost" y entran a los top del industrial checoslovaco.
Una nueva salida de la banda; ahora le toca el turno al Dr. Láhkà Mùza; quedando así un dúo: Gudrun y 677.
En este periodo se encuentran preparando "Tien Bolesti" que se edita en 1992 con la firma eslovaca Zoon Records. Graban en un estudio profesional y auto producen el material. Después del lanzamiento entra a la banda un nuevo guitarrista; en un principio, solo para presentaciones en vivo.
Se producen buenas reacciones ante este álbum y el Club de Praga, Bunkr, les invita a acompañar a la banda americana de electro: Stereo Taxice Device. El concierto resulta un éxito y a su vez les abre las puertas a los Clubs de la escena Checa.

En 1993 Checoslovaquia desaparece y esto trae malas consecuencias al grupo.
Entre 1994- 1995 orientan su música a lo más radical del industrial minimalista. Gudrun y 1977 se rodean de máquinas y utilizan los avances de los samplers y las secuencias. Esto se manifiesta en el disco "Chvenie Absolútna" firmado por la discográfica checa Indie Records. Se convierte en un proyecto muy especial: Electro- Gótico- Industrial. El álbum recibe muy buenas críticas en prensa y se les invita a participar en el "Festival Alternativa" de Praga. Tocan con: Asmus Tietchens, Kapotte Music, Esplendor Geométrico, Hybrids, Co-Caspar, y Test Dept.
Tras el festival, el Club de Bratislava "U- Club" les invita a hacer una serie de conciertos. A pesar de la distancia que les separa de los géneros tradicionales la banda mantiene una posición en la escena alternativa (bien entendida) checa.‟





LV. The Young Gods | L'Eau Rouge




















L'Eau Rouge
©Play It Again Sam. België, 1989.


Bloody hell, what is this?
Since I've been a member of RYM I've been introduced to music that, beforehand, I would never have considered touching with a bargepole – and industrial noise rock would have been ranked somewhere around boy bands or shoving red hot needles under my fingernails. I've no idea who recommended The Young Gods but, whoever you are, you can raise your head above the parapet – but keep your tin hat on just in case!

I haven't a clue where to begin trying to categorise L'eau Rouge (The Red Water) simply because it doesn't sit comfortably in any particular genre. I mean, come on, the title track takes a woman's monthly menstrual flow as its subject matter – that's more like what you'd expect from a Kate Bush or a Tori Amos than a trio of Swiss male noise rockers!

The one thing I am certain of is, for me, L'eau Rouge is a far better album because I have no idea what it's all about. The vocals are in French and Franz Treichler has a voice like a cement mixer full of boulders which would make most of the words indiscernible even if I could speak the language. The CD booklet has the lyrics written in both French and English but I'm not really interested in understanding what's going on because, in this case, the vocal really does become another instrument. In that regard, The Young Gods remind me very much of German rockers Rammstein – I don't know what they're singing about either but they make a heck of a great noise!

L'eau Rouge opens with "La Fille de la Mort"; an eight minute epic that constantly surprises. It begins with what sounds like a steam-driven fairground calliope, builds into an almost classical crescendo before descending into utter chaos. I have to admit that the chaotic element of this song is what I was expecting from the whole of the album but that never really happens as heavy drum rhythms abound and manage to restrain the wilder excesses. The best tracks are those that both channel the free-form energy and retain a sense of impending doom and devastation through sheer brute force: "Les Enfants", "Longue Route", "Crier Les Chiens" and "L'amourir". Even the warped nursery rhyme feel of "Charlotte" works particularly well.

So do I like this? Yes I do. Would I buy more? I bought Only Heaven at the same time as L'eau Rouge but I don't think I'll be going any further than that. Would I recommend The Young Gods to anyone else? Only as something to listen to, not as something to buy. Does it make me want to delve deeper into noise rock? No. I might try out further recommendations but to attempt to negotiate my own way through the industrial sludge is not something I have any appetite for.


Grampus



 

viernes, 19 de agosto de 2011

LIV. Joy Division | Closer




















Closer 
©Factory. UK, 1980.


‟Santiago, Diciembre de 1986, entre el calor y el deprimente ambiente navideño, llegó a mis manos (muy recomendado por lo mejor del under de aquella época) "Closer", no podría expresar lo que sucedió después de apretar el play, no por falta de palabras precisamente, sino porque no puedo recordar las sensaciones. No sabía nada por entonces de suicidios, nada de la fría y lúgubre Manchester, nada de poemas cantados que dijeran: "Esta es la crisis que sabía vendría - a romper el equilibrio que había alcanzado". Sólo estaba el sonido de una música extraña que a ratos era bella y melancólica y en otras, excitante y desgarradora. Ya tenía por entonces imágenes sonoras similares, "Faith" de The Cure, algunos álbumes de Bauhaus, pero ese año comprendí de donde había nacido todo esto y así Joy Division se convirtió en uno de mis grupos de culto.
 Salir de la adolescencia y enfrentar a un mundo duro y mal oliente te puede llevar a una etapaintrospectiva y asfixiante. Los Joy Division fueron parte de esa época. Eran el sonido y las palabras creadas para acompañar esos momentos, pero todo ha cambiado. Al re-escuchar este viejo material, las emociones son distintas, los años endurecen la piel y nos hacen menos permeables a la depresión existencial y a otros virus similares. Los mismos sobrevivientes de Joy Division, luego convertidos en los electronicos New Order, no tuvieron verguenza en componerel himno de la selección de fútbol inglesa para el mundial del '90. Esto, sin embargo, no significa que JD represente un mero estereotipo transformado en mito. Lo que pasa es que todos hemos cambiado y de alguna manera hemos encontrado una salida... Ian Curtis se negó esa posibilidad de salvación: a los 23 años decidió que ya no podía soportar nada más...‟


Roy Alvarado y Leo Lobos (Música Marginal, Marzo 1993)




LIII. Karjalan Sissit | Tanssit On Loppu Nyt




















Tanssit On Loppu Nyt
©Eternal Soul. Deutschland, 2006.


This bloated grandeur is oblique as it is disturbed in its churning, which despite the album’s brief exhumation at half an hour, is pregnant with a warm enveloping energy of intestinal vicissitudes. With ‘Tanssit on Loppu Nyt’, Karjalan Sissit once more sharpen shuddering steel, blade storms of wailing metallic symphony fulminate violently, tremors twisting a surreality of soft swollen hills, lonely forests, and lumbering modern ruins.

Karjalan Sissit continue with this album the tradition of unholy bombast, fusilladic percussive assaults and the dissonancy of the summoned damned; though where tradition intertwines with the demonic, the satanic, the pastiche, this album clearly demarcates the absence of any such allusions leaving the music as nothing other than an instrument of puissance – a means to a terrifying end. Harrowing and subliminal enough to appeal to fans of power electronics and dark ambient, it is seemingly aimed at neither, preferring its own tortured pariahdom as a cathartic. And unlike the aforementioned two genres that at times bleed and dabble in one another, ‘Tanssit on Loppu Nyt’ slices the canvas with dark and self-maniacal glory, sans the occult. Lumbering malformed drums ululate choirs of malformed shells into edifices sodden in the blood of the torn throat from the rampaging vocals. Orchestral directive wraps that landscape, oily ceremonial masses of a subversive mien, leaching away mystery and otherworldliness to the mascara limning mordant, arachnoid holes.

The album comes presented as a svelte, dvd-sized twelve-page book whose imagery is synonymous with the grotesque and bizarre of the music. Thick textured card in full colour cracks open to reveal photos supplanted to yellowed parchment, with illusive and atypical photography chiaroscuro – two to a page, with the matte embossed disc tucked into the lap of an imbiber. Subtle design and excellent use of typography deliver that added touch to an excellent package.


 Symbolique




martes, 16 de agosto de 2011

LII. Radio Werewolf | Love Conquers All




















Love Conquers All
©Gymnastic. Deutschland, 1992.


This band and album are of notable mention mainly because of who the members are and how strange and extreme their ethos is/was. Made up of only two members, RADIO WEREWOLF is none other than Nicholas Shreck and Zeena LaVey (whose father was the infamous founder of the Church of Satan), heads of the notorious Werewolf Order.

As for the music, it's obvious that they have attempted a DEATH IN JUNE/CURRENT 93 sound here, but at best they achieve a nice, remote, strange quality that has helped to make this band and album somewhat of a cult phenomenon. Other than that, Zeena really has no business singing whatsoever. She sucks through and through, but at least the album retains a comic quality because of it. Actually, I stopped listening to this album in 1996, but felt it at least deserved some mention. Who knows? You may want this if you're a collector of some kind.






domingo, 14 de agosto de 2011

LI. Elend | The Umbersun




















The Umbersun
©Music For Nations. UK, 1998.


Cualquier amante de la música extrema debería escuchar esta banda para entender lo que realmente ES la oscuridad. No describirla, ni conceptualizarla, ni siquiera escribir sobre ella. Sino experimentarla.
Como la Angustia. La angustia se experimenta, no se puede describir, es justamente una experiencia que no se puede poner en palabras.
Y Elend está realmente cerca de esa experiencia. O por lo menos de producirla, y a gran escala.
El primer disco estaba más influido por la música sacra y clásica no tan experimental. Y con el paso del tiempo se fueron poniendo más pesados. En el sentido de más extremos. El segundo disco ya tenía algunas disonancias típicas de la música clásica contemporánea, pero acá es otra cosa.
La influencia de la música contemporánea es más que evidente y le agrega una dosis de agresividad increíble, que no solo realza los climas generados por estos músicos, sino que los temas ganan en dramatismo y se vuelven más opresivos y épicos al mismo tiempo.
Y en el medio de esa agresión sonora difícil de sobrellevar, encontramos una perla negra, que sirve de sosiego entre tanta mugre disonante.
El comienzo del disco no podía ser más auspicioso, con "Du Tréfonds Des Ténèbres", un viaje al agujero negro más insondable. A continuación, "Melpomene", o el equilibrio perfecto entre agresión, oscuridad y miseria.
"Moon of Amber" es de una belleza deslumbrante: "Oscuridad. Miramos la Luna de Ámbar. Y otra vez el Jardín sueña su silencioso sueño. Sin vigilancia, algunos fragmentos de luz persisten en tu cielo. Fuimos como amantes sublunares. Perdidos en los mares de tu corazón. Navegando las corrientes de tu mente. Calmando tu pálida cara otra vez...Confuso, en las sombras de nuestro sol, fuimos enceguecidos por la agonía, nuestros deslumbrados ojos vacíos de estrellas, nuestras voces enmudecidas por el miedo, nuestros oídos envidiando lo ensordecedor, nuestras almas retirándose esperando la muerte, nos ahogamos en una Luna de Ámbar."
A continuación llega el Apocalipsis, y la persecución entre las secciones de cuerdas y las voces sopranos es abrumadora, hasta que llega la "Oscuridad" (Umbra) tan densa que casi puede tocarse...
El tema que da título al disco mezcla unas voces angelicales con uno de los climas más violentos de toda la discografía de la banda, y uno termina pidiendo que el suplicio termine. Pero falta. Frente a lo extenso de los primeros 5 temas del disco, la segunda mitad del disco posee canciones más precisas, gracias a la relativa corta duración de las canciones....pero la opresión parece multiplicarse como por efecto de magia. Así se suceden "In the Embrasure of Heaven", que siempre me hizo recordar al viaje final de ese hermoso tema llamado "The cry of Mankind" que esta en el disco "The Angel and the Dark River" de My Dying Bride, pero multiplicando esa oscuridad hasta el infinito. Con "The Wake of the Angel" pareciera haber un poco de aire puro entre tanta miseria, pero las letras desmienten la creencia inicial. Por dios!!!es mucho más violento un susurro que un grito, y la música de Elend lo comprueba.
Esta obra de arte termina con "Au Tréfonds Des Ténèbres", casi como el impulso final para poder salir de la penumbra que a esta altura, después de 66'48'', lo cubre absolutamente todo.
Y menos mal que termina, ya que si bien esa experiencia de la que escribía al principio se puede realizar, no es para muchos, ni para hacerla muy seguido tampoco.
De más está decir que los músicos que intervienen en este descomunal disco son muchísimos. Y son ellos los que dan punto final a la primera trilogía de Elend, de la mejor forma posible, sin eludir la responsabilidad frente a la cual están. Simplemente increíble y superlativo.


Darklord

sábado, 13 de agosto de 2011

L. Trance To The Sun | Ghost Forest




















Ghost Forest
©Tess. US, 1994.


‟Like their darkwave counterparts (Faith and the Muse, Lush, Slowdive), Santa Barbara, CA's Trance to the Sun illuminated their own brooding dream pop layered with goth rock-humming for a mesmerizing spiral of modern electronica. Multi-instrumentalist Ashkelon Sain formed the musical outfit in 1989, independently releasing "Volcano" (1990) and "Dusk" (1991), but the project became a full priority when Zoe Alexandra Wakefield joined in 1993. Struggling to make a name for themselves, Trance to the Sun finally landed a deal with Tess Records in 1994, releasing a second studio effort, "Ghost Forest". Their gossamer ambience was critically received, Wakefield's haunting vocals were heavily defined among press and fans. "Bloom! Flowers Bloom" appeared in 1995, also marking the band's last for Tess, due to Sain and Wakefield establishing their own label, Ambulancia, which issued "Venomous Eve" that same year. But Trance to the Sun also suffered from shifts within the band during the mid-'90s; Sain teamed up with singer Dawn Wagner for the mini-release "Delerious". The following summer, Trance to the Sun showcased the ethereal beauty of Ingrid Blue, whose vocals captured the sheer essence on 1998's full-length "Azalean Sea". Blue also worked with Sain for 1999's "Urchin Tear Soda".‟

MacKenzie Wilson



 

XLIX. Chris & Cosey | Trance




















Trance
©Rough Trade. UK, 1982.


‟Chris & Cosey's 2nd album for Rough Trade, 'Trance' was originally released a year after their seminal 'Heartbeat' LP, in 1982. This is the first time it's been reissued on vinyl in two decades, landing with impeccable timing in the midst of a cold wave revival. The genius electronic auteur, Chris Carter, and the agent provocateur, Cosey Fanni Tutti moved into even darker territory with these eight tracks, using Chris's dynamic studio innovations and Cosey's notorious imagination to articulate unspoken feelings of darkest misanthropy. The atmosphere of 'Trance' is unremittingly overcast and reassuringly darkside, from the cyber-tribal ritual sequences of 'The Giants Feet' and the immaculate electro sting of 'Impulse' to the opiated Arabesque 'The Gates Of Ancient Cities' maintaining a visceral tang and taste for the "other". Even when they go more poppy, like with Cosey's naif vocals and woozy cornet on 'Secret' or the jaunty gallop of 'Until', they're still ten shades shy of uplifting and pretty much define that feeling of dystopian futurism that so many look for in classic early '80s electro. This really is one of the most future-thinking, incredibly produced and timeless artefacts from the early 80's cold-synth scene, and comes to you with our highest possible recommendation.‟

 Boomkat




viernes, 12 de agosto de 2011

XLVIII. And Also The Trees | The Evening Of The 24th





















The Evening Of The 24th
©Reflex. UK, 1987.


The Evening Of The 24th es el primer disco en directo de And Also The Trees. Fue grabado en Suiza, durante la gira promocional de su magistral "Virus Meadow", que les llevo por toda Europa. Con su gran dramatismo y ese aura entre teatro y música, The Evening, capta el mejor momento artístico de una de las primeras bandas góticas de la música. Fue publicado en 1987 por Reflex.

"A Room Lives In Lucy", abre el disco con una impresionante interpretación vocal de Simon Jones, seguido por las intensas "Wallpaper Dying" y "Slow Pulse Boy". Su single debut, "Shantell", suena aquí más poderosa que en el estudio, y cierra el disco la versión en directo del evocador tema de su album debut "So This Is Silence".


Dark Side




lunes, 8 de agosto de 2011

XLVII. Killing Joke | Night Time




















Night Time
©E'G. UK, 1985.


‟Though 1983's essential Fire Dances and its follow-up singles ("Me or You?", "A New Day") showed the band already moving into a more melodic version of its unique, dark post-punk sound, Night Time is where the band truly went for the gold, both figuratively and literally, reaching their commercial and arguably creative peak with this fan-dividing release.  Adding more synths, new wave, goth rock, and dance textures into the mix than before, much to the dismay of some of their longtime fans, the fifth and arguably final great album by the band is definitely a major highlight in their discography and comes highly recommended to post-punk and '80s goth rock fans.

While the songs here certainly are more radio-friendly, the hauntingly amazing "Love Like Blood" even cracked the top 20 in the U.K., they don't lack any of the things that made the band great on previous albums and the overall "heaviness" of the band's sound remains mostly untouched.  Geordie's inventive guitar work is just as cool as always (see "Tabazan" and the title track for beginners), Jaz Coleman's voice is better than ever and the tight rhythm section of bassist Paul Raven and drummer Paul Ferguson keeps the repetitive groove bouncing along effortlessly the entire length of the album.  Besides the aforementioned "Love Like Blood", other singles include the broodingly sinister "Darkness Before Dawn", and fairly straightforward rockers "Kings and Queens" and "Eighties", whose riff was ripped-off by Kurt Cobain for Nirvana's "Come As You Are".  Don't let the release date scare you away, this one's a keeper.‟

 
HellBentForLager



 

domingo, 7 de agosto de 2011

XLVI. Scorn | Evanescence




















Evanescence
©Earache. UK, 1994.


It is uncanny how much influence Napalm Death has had on both my musical evolution and that of the underground in general (both directly and indirectly).  No one could have anticipated that the anarcho-punk-loving trio of Mick Harris, Justin Broadrick, and Nick Bullen who recorded Scum in 1986 (an album that holds only passing interest for me) would eventually split into such disparate and pioneering entities as Scorn, Godflesh, Jesu, and Lull.  I remember both Evanescence and Godflesh’s Streetcleaner both making such a splash upon their release that they even managed to appear in publications that were mainstream enough to reach me in the cultural backwaters of central New York (this being before widespread Internet use, of course).  As such, they were both gateways to a whole world of unpopular musics (dub, dark ambient, noise, etc.) that I may not have discovered otherwise.

Listening to Evanescence 16 years later, I am surprised by how well much of it holds up.  The heavy shuffling beat and deep bass groove of the opening track ("Silver Rain Fell") still explodes out of the speakers and elicits involuntary head-bobbing.  Nick Bullen's vocals are still as confounding as ever though: they are incomprehensible, amelodic, and buried very low in the mix.  In retrospect, they seem very unnecessary and like they were a grudging afterthought, but I suspect that being a "band" with a "singer" and "songs" was probably an important factor in Scorn's relative popularity in those days.  That said, Bullen's bass playing is awesome.  Even though later Scorn releases like Gyral are arguably better than Evanescence, I definitely miss his presence.  Apparently he is a baker now.  I suspect that I will eventually hear about him again in association with some sort of extreme and genre-smashing type of new bread that stuns the bourgeoisie.

Of course, "Silver Rain Fell" is not a fluke.  In fact, "Falling" is even more propulsive and substantially more psychedelic (and probably the best song on the album).  Bullen's vocals are almost nonexistent on it, relegated to just a heavily processed background sound, yielding the foreground to the incredible and complex beat and a swirling barrage of disorienting synthesizers and samples.  This was a good move.  "Days Passed" is also a pretty brilliant track, as it sounds like Harris and Bullen decided to take PIL's Second Edition sound and tweak it by making it heavier and removing the obnoxious vocals (I think Keith Levene and Jah Wobble would be very impressed).  Also, Harris's atmospheric sampling collages are particularly inspired and surreal here.  The thumping, didgeridoo-inflected "Exodus" (featuring Bullen's most melodic vocals) and the warped and shuddering ambient closer "Slumber" are also quite excellent.

That said, Scorn is a band that is best taken in song-sized doses.  Mick Harris is extremely good at what he does, but what he does is very narrow.  The Scorn sound can basically be summarized as "a cool groove with some trippy stuff happening over it."  In a 5-minute dose, that can sound amazing, but it yields diminishing returns over the course of an hour.  Also, some songs don't age well, like the bombastic "Automata," which sounds like it could have been an out-take from The Mind Is a Terrible Thing To Taste-era Ministry.  The horror movie piano of "Silver Rain Fell" and "Night Tide" also sounds a bit heavy-handed with the passage of time.  Despite its flaws, however, Evanescence is an album that was very, very much ahead of its time.  While dubstep and artists like Burial enjoy quite a bit of popularity and influence today, making dark and noise-damaged dub music in 1994 was decidedly not the cool thing to be doing.





sábado, 6 de agosto de 2011

XLV. Cocteau Twins | Garlands




















Garlands
©4AD. UK, 1982.


Probably among the coolest crop of 80's rock for me is the whole strata of dream pop, ethereal wave, and of course the incredible beast that is shoegaze. And clearly these closely related genres were starting to fire off in 82'. Hell it seems like everything truly 80's (as opposed to late 70's spillover) was getting up to it's awkward adolescent start in this year! And awkward adolescent start pretty much defines this still charming album. If you're not familiar with the Cocteau Twins (not that I'm very in the know on them at all) they're famous (or infamous) for one particular little gist, that they don't really have lyrics. No, I don't mean they're instrumental, there are vocals here. But those vocals are complete nonsense. A word or two crops up every once in a awhile, but so far as I can tell even calling it stream of conscious seems to be applying too much in description. The vocals are in effect wordless. If you're a heavily lyrical person for some reason (this ain't literature! it's music!) then go curl up with your Leonard Cohen because this is pretty much designed to make you miserable. Though frankly I could give a flying fuck about lyrics most of the time so this absolutely suits me just right. But more in the potential category. Already the strength of this band is their sense of creating dreamy soundscapes and otherworldly experiences. But problem is they're clinging too close to their influences and not really breaking out to serve their own ends, still too tightly nursing the teat of Robert Smith and Siouxie Sioux. So with the music tangling with finding it's own identity the vocals really come through as the strongest part. Elizabeth Fraser could have been any old boring ethereal female singer, she could have been like Enya! But instead she doesn't just make a beautiful noise, she makes a strange and dynamic one. Lilting and hiccuping with like some kind of Cyndi Lauper horror version, she's pretty creepy! The guys on the instruments apparently just want to be goths, but they can be something else really. Nothing they do comes close to touching what they clearly want to go for, The Cure's Faith. I can think of single songs on there that outdo this whole release! But is this a good album? Oh sure. And is it brimming with obscene potential? You have no idea.


Zephos




XLIV. Swans | The Great Annihilator




















The Great Annihilator
©Young God. US, 1994.


That's one hell of an album title, ain't it?  You've got to have some confidence in an album to call it The Great Annihilator, understatement goes right out the window.  It's even more impressive, given that they were so (wrongly) unimpressed with their previous three albums, they've never re-issued them.  Their confidence could not have been more well founded.

This is a stunning, claustrophobic masterpiece of an album.  They've taken the intensity of their early work, and mixed it with the lighter, folkier side of their 'bunny' period.  What that creates is a unique sound of pounding, syncopated percussion, high pitched electric guitar textures, jangling acoustic guitar, and echoing, droning sound loops.  Both vocalists perform the best works of their careers, Michael Gira seems to have perfected his hypnotic, mantra-like croon, and Jarboe can add a touch of heaven or a touch of spite seemingly at will.  The lyrics are sheer Gira.  Does anyone do self-loathing with the same class, the same honesty and intensity?

Intensity is the key-word for this release, as with all Gira-related projects.  I just can't think of any other album that combines such lightness, such intensity, and such tunes.


 Darkness Fish



lunes, 1 de agosto de 2011

XLIII. Arcanta | The Eternal Return




















The Eternal Return
©Projekt. US, 1997.


Starting with the dramatic, commanding, overdubbed vocals of "There is No God but God," The Eternal Return again showcases Ayres achieving a serene, powerful beauty with his fusion of vocal music styles. "Kyrie" shows Ayres doing a more traditional piece, an adaptation of the noted Gregorian chant, but even that contains hints of the more multifaceted nature of Arcanta; as much romantically passionate as religiously striving, it's a seductive and fascinating blend of vocal performances (if nothing else, Ayres is an excellent arranger of his own recordings). Straightforward, solo a cappella performances are here as well: the first half of "Estranging Sea" being a sweeping example, along with "Eleison," unsurprisingly a counterpart to "Kyrie," near the album's conclusion. Not everything is the mystery of the human voice, though; the introduction to "Awake as if From Slumber" consists of a light but haunting synth arrangement deep in the mix, leading to a church organ bed upon which Ayres then weaves another fascinating performance. It's an elegant and gripping mix, a further sign of his ability to bring out new levels from familiar elements. Other standout blends of instrumental power and singing passion include "Into Thine Arms," which almost sounds like something labelmates Lycia would create, though without guitars, and "The Solitary Pilgrim." The two returning pieces from the self-titled EP form the centerpiece of Return: "Maya" is now "Maya (dirge)," with an even more stirring and mournful feeling than before, yet retaining the same blend of light guitar and synth with Ayres' voice, here singing an English lyric with his trademark dark passion; and the revamped "Via Dolorosa," ends with a spectacular series of cries from Ayres. Finishing with the appropriately entrancing "Bodhisattva," a measured, sparkling beauty of a track, Eternal is a fine effort from an artist with a rare gift indeed."

Ned Raggett



 

XLII. Salem | King Night




















King Night
©Iamsound. US, 2010.


Desde el 2008 que vienen sacudiendo el ambiente con Eps y entregas de tiraje limitado, el trío de Michigan se ha convertido en un bastión para el nuevo ruido electrónico ensombrecido y estandarte de 'la novedad del año', el tan mentado y emocionante Witch House, que por supuesto también nos ha encandilado a nosotros.
Les veníamos siguiendo con cautela en la espera de su primer Lp, el que ha sido publicado por IAmSound Records este 28 de septiembre bajo el nombre de "King Night" y viene espeso, hiriente, desolador, maldito a fin de cuentas.
No había otra forma cuando John Holland, Heather Marlatt y Jack Donoghue desde un comienzo han sobrecargado las atmósferas electrificadas con un clamor que pareciera venir desde los subterráneos más siniestros de la America del Norte.
Tomando sustancias en descomposición de la vieja darkwave, el hip hop más fisurado y el shoegaze experimental dan vida (o traen desde la misma muerte) a un engendro apabullante, narcótico y fascinante. Desde un principio se siente el latigazo, "King Night" tema inicial que se suspende en una especie de misa negra atormentada por teclados extensos, aparataje espásmodico y percusiones desafiantes, una verdadera ópera diabólica, Dead Can Dance pero en mala.
Los Salem no se guardan nada, no dan concesiones de ningún tipo en su música tétrica, todo está dispuesto aquí para el daño y el embrujo, te vas discretamente o lo tomas como la droga tan esperada. "Asia" es el primer single del disco, una marea dislocada y ácida que en su interior porta la voz Medium de Heather comunicándose en forma directa con un universo mortecino, dimensiones paralelas e invisibles que deprimen el espacio sonoro a pesar del ruido reinante.
"Frost" podría sacudir a los románticos de atuendo oscuro, Cocteau Twins intervenidos por un cortocircuito de sistemas peregrinos y otra vez los ritmos en total autarquía.
Tuercen el rostro en "Sick", esto es hip hop del más allá, retomando el camino que el trip-hop no quizo profundizar (Tricky queda como un niño de pecho), sombras fantasmales que se apoderan del espíritu gangsta, triturándolo en un hábil funeral.
A este punto es bueno reconocer que Salem exhibe en su disco debut una fuerza poco usual, la maquinaria que tiembla en busca de un reducto desconocido, la ofrenda libre para un nuevo carácter, se elevan, se retuercen y se agigantan cerrando cualquier salida entre las reverberaciones del trance y la oración.
Asfixiando en los límites del rap, si había una forma de experimentar entre tanta capucha, "Trapdoor" podría ser un punto de convergencias para una tropa amorfa y protestas callejeras hacia un cambio verdadero.


Raúl Cabrera H.