Chrome
Germs
Max Gudmunson
Due to other responsibilities taking precedence over my regular contributions to
Cassette Gods in recent months, I've decided to make this the last Chrome Germs
column. What follows is a shortened batch of reviews I never got around to
posting on the CG blog. Although I won't be posting any more reviews after this
point, anyone wishing to trade tapes (or other music formats, or comics/zines)
is welcome and encouraged to drop me a line at:
m(underscore)gudmunson(at
I'd like to express sincere thanks to everyone who sent in releases for review,
Brian Miller and the other writers for the inspiration and encouragement, and
all Cassette Gods readers.
In alphabetical order, by artist:
AJILVSGA
"Behind the Masked Spirit" (JK Tapes)
From the name alone one might think this
project was some reclusive goth from Finland. Two guys from Green Country,
Oklahoma, not so much. Most if not all of "Behind the Masked Spirit" is made of
sputtering oscillator bass tones that aim to create a brooding atmospheric wall
but ultimately become monotonous. Surprising and unfortunate, since the material
on the Ajilvsga Myspace page is more dynamic and overall far superior. The duo
of Brad Rose and Nathan Young have released previous material on a slew of
labels including Not Not Fun, Arbor and Digitalis, so if "Behind the Masked
Spirit" doesn't hit the mark, it was most likely an off day for an otherwise
promising doom & gloom crew.
www.jktapes.com
www.myspace.com/ajilvsga
ALTAR OF FLIES "The
Funeral Tapes" (905 Tapes)
More plodding, dismal ruminations
provided by the eternal downer-vision of Mattias Gustafsson. "The Funeral Tapes"
looks to be a reissue of a 2007 release originally on Swedish label KSP (Kassettbolaget
Svart Pyramid). The first half or so might not convert any believers or convince
the already aquainted that this is isn't just another random entry from an over
prolific project, but before the bitter end those with patience will find some
of the most considered, suspenseful and straight-up frightening material heard
yet from Mr. Gustafsson. If you missed out on the AoF / Sewer Election split LP
on Release the Bats this year (which is ridiculous, because it's still available
from the label), I can't think of a more appropriate introduction. Or anything
else still in print (edit: this too, unfortunately, has sold out).
www.905tapes.com
ARKLIGHT / A.P.E. Split (MT5 Tapes)
Arklight's contribution here is a free improv affair which is heavy on a
combination of looping or repetitious riffing on guitar, an ambient-like
atmosphere that's not quite discernable, and semi-rhythmic clattering. The band
could be more interesting if there was more inspiration or direction, but this
thing refuses to travel anywhere beyond gadget worship and dipping into a
familiar bag of avant-rock tricks. A.P.E. is kind of the same thing but for
noise. The split comes housed in a standard case with wraparound color sticker.
www.mt6records.com
AUTOEROTIC
ASPHYXIATION "Tied at the Ankles by the Threads of Fate" (Epicene/ ESR)
Sparse industrial-influenced
electronics, mixer/ oscillator tweaking and junk noise from Hamilton, Ontario's
Darcy Atkinson. There's an attention to space surrounding individual sounds
which is a nice touch, although the pacing becomes somewhat awkward and too
prolonged at times. Side B's "Equilibrium" is particularly good with slow
rhythmic thuds and gradually building looped feedback. Comes with full-color
insert in the traditional ESR style.
www.myspace.com/whyisthereanoth
www.epicenesound.com
BLOWN DOORS "Blown
Mind" (905 Tapes)
Another one from Mike Haley's 905
Tapes, Blown Doors offers something similar to the Altar of Flies piece on the
same label. Which is to say: wretched, saturated with sounds of decay and
obsessed with tone more than texture. Although it only truly gets going on the B
side, this recording of a duo jam featuring Haley (Wether) and Sean Connolly
isn't too shabby. As with the other releases on this label, "Blown Mind" has a
photocopied j-card with a cover insert printed in color.
www.905tapes.com
CLON "Vanishing" (Bone Tooth Horn)
Hissing, minimal ambient textures that fall just shy of the "drone"
classification. Side A is a bit yawn inducing but B captivates with an eerie
distant melancholy not totally dissimilar from some Kevin Drumm releases.
Mysterious stuff that grows on you with repeated listenings.
http://www.geocities.com
DAVID PAYNE / PANAGIOTIS SPOULOS Split (Phase!)
It's not immediately apparent whether David Payne is operating a crude
instrument or just dragging a contact mic around a table, but his contribution
to this split sounds like someone setting up equipment and doesn't improve much
from there. A delay effect is engaged, to little consequence. Spoulos
effectively does the same thing with a guitar. Spraypainted tape with
photocopied insert.
www.phaseweb.tk
DR (RRR Recycled series)
This DR release on the RRR label's famed Recyled series (I have a theory that
when production of these has ceased, so will all noise releases) arrived along
with an extremely nice and endearingly self-deprecating note from this Austin,
TX based project. The tape is comprised solely of frantic electric guitar with
surprising lack of effects, influenced according to Mr. DR by the likes of
Thurston Moore, Matthew Bower and Mouthus. A little on the long side (as the
rules of the Recyled series dictate) and by all counts a rookie release but hey,
everyone has to start somewhere.
www.myspace.com/draustintx
HUNTING RITUALS "Guckbucket" (Cloud
Valley)
If anyone asked me today what the best recent tape label is (not that anyone
ever does or would have reason to), I would vote for Cloud Valley. Not only
because the house band Hunting Rituals has offered some of the best recent low-fi
gross-out material, but the label aesthetic reflects the music in a similar way
JK Tapes and Deep Fried Tapes *used* to. The physical item is gunky, disgusting
shit which casts serious doubt on the health of your deck after a few dubious
rotations. You really don't know whether the heads are being damaged or if it's
just the music. This one was limited to something ridiculous like 13 copies, but
I highly recommend seeking out upcoming disposables from this anti-sanitation
committee.
cloudvalleyrecs@hotmail.com
JAZZFINGER "King Murnam" (JK Tapes)
Over the four sprawling tracks of "King Murnam," the long-running,
long-ruling Newcastle duo of Ben Jones and Hasan Gaylani shift effortlessly from
somber acoustic piano and synth riffs ("Freedom of Pollen") to murky bass tones
with drifting melodica to Sunroof!-style profusions of multi-instrumental drone
and feedback ("Bleak Freeze"). To admit that some of these compositions are
long-winded might be redundant, since no one familiar with this crew would
expect them to go anything but "the distance." Regardless, "King Murnam" is
another fine addition to the Jazzfinger discography and no doubt a golden
feather in the cap for JK. Spraypainted tape with full color cover.
www.jktapes.com
KENJI SIRATORI "End of This World" (JK Tapes)
Not sure whether Siratori himself is responsible for all the sounds on this, but
in any case "End of This World" amounts to an endless crumbling wall of static
and distortion with heavily buried vocals. Another baffling release from this
ridiculously prolific cyberpunk writer. Full color insert.
www.jktapes.com
KVLT OF UNICRON "Leave Nothing in Our
Wake" (Epicene / ESR)
Creep tag team (well, more of a gang) made up of M. Reis of Teeth Collection,
Josh from Plasmic Formations and 2/3rds of To-Night Golden Curls. While I would
hesitate to say "Leave Nothing" adds up to more than the sum of its parts, it
won't disappoint and depending on one's mood might be the culprit for some heavy
shivers. As noted before in Teeth Collection reviews, one compelling aspect of
Reis' work is a distant, factory-like atmosphere. "Leave Nothing" conjures a
similar feeling of passing slow-motion through smoggy alien streets. Desolate
and foreboding music that lingers outside the green zone. Includes full-color
insert.
www.myspace.com/epiceneesr
LEAVENWORTH "Retention, Reunion" (905 Tapes)
There's a small mock Bavarian village in eastern Washington State called
Leavenworth. The sort of place where old men can play accordions in comfort and
you get extra whipped cream on that plate of kielbasa, whether you asked for it
or not. I doubt that fine town has anything to do with this project. This
Leavenworth, who has apparently been operating on some severe down-low for a few
years, specializes in loud, squelchy line noise interruptions somewhat in the
tradition of Withdrawal Method or certain Hermit releases. Decent
headache-inducing frequencies, but nothing out of the ordinary. The recording is
credited to Jiz Tapia, but other than that no clues as to who or what is on
here. Color photocopied inserts.
worthleaven@gmail.com
NEWAGEHILLBILLY "Good Luck in the Future" (Hemisphere Tapes)
I slept on this one for way too long, partly because of its nondescript package.
Side A's opener "Waking Up 10,000 Feet in the Air" is an impressively crushing
wall of harsh textures, with shimmering hallucinations of high-end feedback.
It's a sleazy mess which easily ranks among the best new harsh noise of the
year. HOWEVER. Just when you're thinking you've got a handle on the proceedings,
a drum machine kicks in and the WTF factor crashes through the roof. It kind of
goes downhill from there. Side B is credited as a live track recorded at a
record shop, although it sounds like a band having an argument in the middle of
a construction site. You make the call.
www.newagehillbilly.com
Hemisphere Tapes: c/o Marc Rothe / 2070
Brandy Dr. / Forest Hill, MD 21050
OSPREYS (Untitled) (Bone Tooth Horn)
After a brief acoustic piano introduction we're lead into a bass-heavy drone
workout with accompanying moans n' groans and light but melancholy guitar loops.
Other tracks offer differing combinations of male & female vocals, some acoustic
string and feedback interplay but seem lazy even for free-improv influenced
creep jams.
http://www.geocities.com
OUBLIETTE "Self Hate" (Teenage Whore Tapes)
More of the most dismal hissing junk noise from the man who carries the torch.
When all other noise acts have died or gone deaf, this guy will be clearing out
the nursing home lounge. Whether you're familiar with the endless sadistic
musings of Mr. Oubliette or as yet uninitiated and in need of introduction, this
certainly won't disappoint. Full color insert.
themangledhand@gmail.com
PAC MAN (Untitled) (Bone Tooth Horn)
Nonsensical 8-bit nostalgia and found music, most likely from BTH's personal
archives. Ever wonder what the Pac Man theme song sounded like? Or what Pac
himself had to say about life, liberty and the pursuit of power pellets? Peep
this and find out.
http://www.geocities.com
RAPERIES (LIKE DRAPERIES) "Our Faces are Formless Like the Stars" (Epicene /
ESR)
40 minutes of meticulously composed and shifting layers by Peter Woods, who has
the dubious distinction of being awarded "Worst Band Name" by The
Onion. What this project will be producing in the near future might be
astounding, but "Our Faces" (as dated as it might already be) tends to fall
short of proper "oomph" in the harsh passages and attention to detail in the
quieter ones. From the few recent live videos available online, it looks like
Woods is already working these out for the better. Full color insert.
www.myspace.com/peterjwoods
SWEET SWEET COFFEE BREAK / HUNTING RITUALS Split (Cloud Valley)
SSCB, the solo project of Robin from Slow Listener, lingers within a blustery
lo-fi drone for the first side of this split. The sound sources could be vocals
slowed to a crawl, field recordings or instruments- probably a combination, but
it's hard to tell. The best part is the concluding looped mess of birdlike
feedback chirps and whistles, grating on the nerves yet strangely relaxing and
contemplative. Hunting Rituals steal the show on the flip with what could be
described as an 80's horror soundtrack composed with jet engines. Somehow it's
brutal and claustrophobic without forsaking dynamics. Color wraparound cover.
cloudvalleyrecs@hotmail.com
V/A "Fast Comp" (Sassbologna Records)
There's something about a hardcore mixtape that hits the spot when you're in a
certain mood, no matter how many crap bands are on it. It might be from
nostalgia, like the drastic differences in volume and recording quality from one
track to the next. A few kids must have invested a lot of effort (pointlessly?)
multi-tracking and mastering on ProTools; some managed what they could on a
Tascam 4-track; most screamed into a cheap handheld from a nearby trashcan and
called it a day. Nearly all contributors stick to the compilation's theme
beautifully.
www.sassbologna.com
VESTIGIAL LIMB "Death's Head Aspect" (Bone Tooth Horn)
More grinding scuzz courtesy of Louisville, KY's Ray Shinn. As per usual for
this young and prolific project utilizing turntable, tapes and electronics,
everything is buried beneath a layer of in-the-red crumble. Side B has more
heft, but overall nothing out of the norm.
www.myspace.com/vestigiallimb
http://www.geocities.com
WAR KRIMINALS "Fully Automated" (Sassbologna Records)
If a new cassette from 2008 featuring strictly mid-90s jungle cutups sounds too
bizarre, imagine this War Kriminals thing as lying in between the instrumental
work from Digital Hardcore Recordings (without the distortion) and Olympia, WA's
ICU (without the live instrumentation). Low-fi, sample-heavy drum and bass on a
green tape with pro label printing. A baffling tape from a baffling label which
I absolutely do not understand.
www.sassbologna.com
WET CEMENT / SHARKS WITH WINGS Split (Bone Tooth Horn)
Wet Cement kicks off this split in a band-falling-down-the-stairs style freakout.
Guitar, bass and drums splatter the walls in a rumbling cacophony that sticks
true to their namesake. Sharks With Wings' track is a muddy pit of hurt feelings
emerging from a faint radio signal, difficult to discern and kind of aimless but
not without some redeeming gnarl.
http://www.geocities.com
WETHER "Post-Cave Music" (905 Tapes)
It's appropriate to admit that, out of a large batch of new releases on any
label, the most impressive effort would come from the guy that has to dub them
all. "Post-Cave Music" won't disappoint Wether fans as a whole, but the
hands-down winner is the 8-and-a-half minute "Blanket Fog," a well paced and
gut-churning closer which veers between bass plunges and shuddering textures of
feedback and static-swallowing distortion. For a label which was only started
this year, Mike Haley has already assembled an immense catalogue which anyone
wishing to sample a wide array of up-and-coming noise artists would be well
advised to check out.
www.905tapes.com