Storm of Noise – The 2nd Offensive

We’re back, it’s the second coming, or better yet, the second offensive.  Due to the huge glut of metal we receive in terms of promotional material, we conceived of a special noise-only feature a few months ago to give the best artists some exposure.  This is the second appearance of it after a strong showing the first time around, which you should check out if you didn’t before.  It’s simple, we select four different noise releases of varying types, sometimes harsh noise, sometimes HNW, sometimes more delicate samplings, if it’s noise of some form, this is the time we focus on it specifically, other than occasional, single-reviews, which are rare because most of the noise we receive sucks.  So, somewhat different here in that we pick what we think, generally, sounds better than most instead of just reviewing whatever we have at hand.  So you can expect stuff you’d want to listen to, for the most part.  Bring the thunder and lighting, though in the opposite order because it makes more sense that way.

Corephallism – S/T

Don’t even remember when it came in, don’t remember with what, nothing.  It’s a blank space.  Somehow this gem was lost inside of a drawer, only discovered when it fell out of the bottom.  At least it was small enough for that to happen, because this teeny weeny 3″ disc packs a wealth of style you rarely see in noise.  Corephallism, in general, utilizes confronting sexuality as the main aesthetic, which should be obvious if you know it’s the solo project of Shane Broderick.  The artwork, in fact, proves unsettling when you know what the term actually means.  It’s devastatingly subtle.  Artwork featuring suggestive, but disturbing poses, dissections, and sinful organs exposed in their natural state can easily be a gimmick, though, and not a good one most of the time.  The reason for this is noise teeters on a line between honestly shocking or trendishly shocking.  Corephallism laughs at trend.  Though this S/T only features two tracks, his ability to weave sonic textures is the best kind of noise.  Jump on some pedals, scream, flash some bits of your special parts and you’re famous, right?  Not really, no, people just pretend, because sadly noise has acquired this “hip” acceptance perpetuated by acts that aren’t brave enough to push their physical boundaries beyond cosiness, and who most certainly can’t put a song together.  Convulsing on pedals with fake blood is pathetic.  So is running keyboards through distortion while screaming without purpose.  You need to take the time to write noise, as contradictory as that might sound.  Construct, confront, collapse, that’s all there is to it.  Can’t figure it out?  Listen to Corephallism first before you even waste our time.  Corephallism Official Site  Score: 4.7 / 5

Esquelas – Un Pozo LLeno De Anzuelos

Spanish label Bestiarie will easily prove to you how noise can be beautiful in a single sitting with this wondrous vinyl sampling from two of Spain’s finest constructors of the eerie, Esquelas, whose name translates to “Obituaries”.  We already fell in love, but we decided to abandon that love and this is our new one.  Sorry to whatever it was we loved before, we don’t even remember.  Noise is decay, and death the ultimate decay, why not merge the two?  It’s been done, sure, but not this artfully.  Translating to “A Well of Hooks”, Un Pozo LLeno De Anzuelos is something noise musicians should utilize more in their work, tranquility.  It seems counterintuitive, but it’s much more difficult to create disturbance leading into an opioid trance.  Mastered by legend mastering engineer Matt Colton, known as “The Alchemist“, Esquelas creates noise that relies heavily on empty space.  The listener’s mind is continuously disturbed, as the blank canvas upon which they paint is progressively covered with blackness, streaks of red, shards of glass, real emotions taking form, playing like strands of decayed spider webs tenuously drifting in the air, bleak beats an approximation of a dying heart easing its last flow of blood.  It’s a pleasing, haunting experience, Una Pozo LLeno De Anzuelos, until the final track, which, as our only complaint, starts to sound like the soundtrack to Myst or something.  It goes from being alluring in its hideousness to playful, as though you’ve awakened from a nightmarish acid trip to find yourself still watching your kid playing on a “Giddy Up” spring horsey at the park.  A strange, almost comical disruption that thankfully only appears in roughly the last minute, but the first three tracks are completely stellar.  Esquelas Official Facebook  Score: 4.5 / 5

Fire-Toolz – EVEN THE FILES WON’T TOUCH YOU

Let us say something that needs to be said, and which we’ve been meaning to say for awhile.  Angel Marcloid is probably the most underappreciated musician in noise.  Known under tons of names, Pregnant Spore being the most renown, and head of Rainbow Bridge Recordings, it’s almost criminal bigger sites haven’t picked her up yet, but perhaps that’s how she wants it.  These days you see too many noise “musicians” walking like Gods among men at “shows” with their suitcases full of pedals, and DIY tapes for the “merch” table, none of which they know how to actually use.  They stomp, they romp, they clomp, and they do it with what they think is pomp, but there’s no rhyme to say they don’t.  “Feeling” is meaningless if you’re not actually feeling anything and chaos for the sake of chaos does not good noise make.  A firm grasp of creating with power electronics?  A rarity.  Angel, however, is a rare girl, releasing noise since the 1990s when she was basically born.  This is her newest project, Fire-Toolz, which does an excellent job of summarizing the overall aesthetic of her work and life.  Since we wasted a lot of time at this point, let’s say it rather simply: take 90s girl trash culture, put that into noise, and make it horrifying.  Imagine a Lisa Frank trapper keeper vomiting blood tainted with plague, and it would be discussed on BBSes in the form of EVEN THE FILES WON’T TOUCH YOU.  This is one of the few times we can state with certainty that CAPS are okay.   What’s so very wonderful here is the combination of 90s and early 2000s kitsch in electronic ruination.  Crocs, snap bracelets, aliens, Treasure Trolls, WB Studio Store baseball tees, all regurgitated in neon colors out of the mouth of a master.  The 90s-infused electronics, EBM hypno-beats, and banshee-like shrieking with impish whispering is, in a word, marvelous.  If there’s one complaint to be had it’s that it’s slightly too long for its own good.  We’re talking almost an hour of material here, which could have likely been cut in half and still highly effective.  A minor complaint, but it can feel tiring near the last 1/4 because of the length.  It’s easy to ignore, however, for the completely untapped aesthetic Angel has made her own.  There can be no other.  Fire-Toolz Official Facebook  Score: 4.6 / 5

Whorid – Bloated Pig Carcass In A Shallow Wake

Unfortunately we’re not ending on a positive note, it’s more of a warning.  This illustrates something we were talking about, and mentioned in the first Storm of Noise feature.  It also raises a question.  What causes something to become famous when it doesn’t deserve it?  It’s never just one reason, and with how social media works, the most mundane of efforts in anything can become legend in only a few hours just because.  With noise it’s rather easy to explain, thankfully, which will save some space.  The issue seems to be the rise of noise as “metal” because of its typically extreme approach, especially live when the musician in question can’t actually construct anything substantial so they rely on shock factor via their own body, or yours.  Add a little name recognition and getting noticed is probably easier than it should be.  Whorid, referred to as “self-harm electronics”, meaning you will, yes, see harm to the human body in a live setting, is a solo project of Daniel Suffering, who’s done work with the much-respected Theologian.  These two things are the main reasons for the recent rise of Whorid, clearly.  This project has several things going for it, but misses one important element.  The name, yeah, there’s just something about it, and the artwork…  The photographic image on the front of Bloated Pig Carcass In a Shallow Wake is one the greatest covers we’ve ever seen since the site’s inception almost a decade ago.  His live make-up?  Equally awesome.  The thematic direction of this release and its application through the noise?  Tiresome.  “…themes of stalking, BDSM, social anxiety, substance abuse, and eventually murder, where no one wins.”  The ending line is 99% true because Whorid’s practically the same thing you’ve heard a million times, but he’s still winning because people are paying attention regardless since, apparently, he cuts himself.  So?  Whorid, as a whole, has moments of greatness in this one, but the majority is the typical static mess with screaming/moaning that makes up the bulk of lesser-respected artists we wouldn’t bother with.  He’s at his strongest when he utilizes ambient atmosphere, such as the genius that is “Incessant Decay”, but unfortunately this is one of only a few moments when Whorid finds form.  The rest is redundancy at its finest to the extent that you’ll yawn more successfully without it.  Hopefully he develops more of that nihilistic sound as the project develops.  Can we end by asking how noise has become associated with metal over the past decade?  Whorid Official Facebook  Score: 3.1 / 5

 

Written by Stanley Stepanic