DEATH CULT RITUAL – NIGHT OF THE FLESH-EATING FREAKS (Full CAPS Noise Horror)

 

Noise has for at least two decades been a case of you’ve heard one you’ve pretty much heard them all. The genre is constantly resistant to change and stagnancy reigns, mainly because it’s so damn easy to stomp a bunch of pedals and feign “scary” while tossing fake blood around and screaming into a broken microphone with images of torture and abused women on your tape covers while you scream about feminist rights. But true noise requires a careful hand; now and then I even get a submission that awakens me a bit, like this new one from DEATH CULT RITUAL. I should probably be harder on my scoring here because I get really sick of noise just doing its thing and not attempting to develop itself. Like old-school oi punk, there are too many die-hards who can’t see they’re in a cave. Understand the need to actually write noise and not just make it! However, DEATH CULT RITUAL at least appears to be doing things differently.

   

Within NIGHT OF THE FLESH-EATING FREAKS has something like a story to tell within its high frequencies. Harsh smashes and throbs are undercut by bizarre, atmospheric sounds of unclear origin, reminding the listener of old trashy Euro horror but without total clarity. I’m not sure if this is entirely intentional (another example of why I wish artists would at least give a bit of an explanation of their process), but looking at the band’s earlier work it appears to be so. Therefore, assuming this is the case, I found myself enjoying it, at least for the fact I imagined it a certain way. What sounds like a purpose below the usual gives it more power than many. I recommend DEATH CULT RITUAL considers this angle more, and make it more clear what it’s about, because it’s the kind of thing noise needs more of, though I guarantee the hardliners will say “I just don’t get it” and go back to their folding table, suitcase pedal stomping like it’s cool.

 

DEATH CULT RITUAL Official Bandcamp

Written by Stanley, Devourer of Souls

DEATH CULT RITUAL – NIGHT OF THE FLESH-EATING FREAKS
Deathbed Tapes
4.1 / 5