I Own Some Records

Silent Servant - “Negative Fascination” (Hospital Productions 2012)

I don’t know about the rest of the world, but I’ve been really enjoying the latest rash of releases coming out on Hospital Productions and their sister label Bed Of Nails that are primarily ambient electronic music.  As a big fan of IDM and ambient music, all these releases lately have been a breath of fresh air for me, because as much as I love Aphex Twin (and the hordes of acts he’s inspired), his (their) records are a bit overwhelming to listen to sometimes.

Silent Servant is just the right mix of complexity and simplicity that makes for techno that pines for multiple spins; not just for picking apart of tracks, but also because it’s so fucking excellent!  Silent Servant employees what seems to be a generous arsenal of analog synths to create hypnotic dark beats, mostly revolving around thumping electronic bass tones, with repetitive drum loops, heavily distorted samples, and cold synth harmonies and waves which tie everything together masterfully.  

Right now the northern East Coast of the USA (which is where I call home) is currently being overtaken by a Nor’easter, and this record is the perfect soundtrack to it.  Even better than Immortal would be; listening to this record feels like I should be stuck in an ice cavern being haunted by some unseen force.  Or something.  Great shit.

-Log.

Now spinning…

Ash Pool - “Together They Serve To Define The Process” (Hospital Productions 2011)

Another tape! I’ve been reorganizing my tapes and listening to new stuff and writing reviews! Snowy nights like this are the only nights I get shit done.  And I know if i wasn’t writing these reviews I would just be browsing sites to buy more records.  I think I like this situation a little better right now.  

Ash Pool is a black metal band from NYC, comprised of Dominick Fernow of Prurient and Cold Cave, and some other guys that I don’t know what bands they are in, so by default I don’t care.  Anyway, this tape was a session from in between the bands two latest offerings (before this one of course), and GOTDAMN is it delicious to my ears.  It’s a heady, frothy blend of black metal, viking metal, and what the hell, punk, all mixed together in a brew of metallic delights.  I for one fully support this style, this black metal stuff; it’s certainly the sound for a new generation!  

The vocals are a real high point for me on this tape.  Kind of screamed, kind of grunted, and reverbed for her pleasure.  Also there is clean singing parts.  I love this band.  Buy this tape now or you forever will be a poser!

-Log. 

So many new tapes to listen to! (Ash Pool, Departure Chandelier, Besthoven, Tukaaria/Odz Manouk split, more Tukaaria, Rhinocervs untitled 1 + 2, Rhinocervs comp, Savage Cross, Algea, Nervous Corps, Wicked King Wicker [material from before I joined], Nihilobstat, Ur/Ostots/some other band split)

My birthday was yesterday and I went shopping for records.  I hit up Hospital Productions and Generation Records in NYC as well as some stuff in the mail arrived yesterday.

7 inches: The Wankys/Lotus Fucker split, Sutekh Hexen, Sanctum, Agoraphobic Nosebleed/Kill The Client split, Akitsa/The Shadow Order split, By The Grace Of God/The Cause split, Defektro, Hellchild/Bongzilla split, Lockweld, The Mummies

10 inch: Incriminated

12 inches: Impurity, Lockweld (sawblade shaped!!), Deathroes, Twodeadsluts Onegoodfuck, Homostupids, Hammer, Black Angel, Bestial Mouths, COUM Transmissions, Dystopia, No Funeral, Sutekh Hexen, Mutant Ape, Drunk Driver

(not pictured) CDs: Senor Coconut (salsa covers of Kraftwerk songs!)

A very happy birthday to me. 

-Log. 

Circle Of Ouroboros - “Unituli” (Hospital Productions 2011)

I get the idea of calling these guys black metal.  Especially with their older releases.  But this album, the only thing that makes black even close to appropriate is the recording quality.  The guitars are so fuzzed out and muddy they are barely distinguishable.  The vocals are kinda sang/kinda talked and out of tune.  All the elements of this band make for something that should be fucking terrible, but it somehow all works.  I have like 4 of their releases, and Circle Of Ouroboros are a definite thumbs up in my book.  I can’t really recommend any similar bands to these guys, but to describe their sound is kind of like a heavier version of Joy Division with the recording atmosphere of, let’s say, Velvet Cacoon.  

What pisses me off is the cover of the vinyl version is so dumb.  Hospital Productions really half assed this one.  The original cover is colorful and interesting to look at.  This is just plain, and boring.  

-Log. 

Shallow Waters - “Equal Eyes” (Hospital Productions 2008)

Power Electronics with kinda boring bubbling low end noise.  The vocals are some of the sickest I’ve ever heard ever.  And I’ve heard quite a bit of screaming in my day.  

-Log. 

Curved Blade - “Be Like Death” (Hospital Productions 2010)

You would think after hearing hundreds of black metal albums I would get sick of it right?  So many bands applying the same formula, using the same riffs, etc.  But I can never get enough of shit like this!

This tape offers up 2 tracks that are over before you even know it.  These are scuzzy as fuck, dirged out bum-out fests.  You can just tell these guys fucking killed themselves after recording this, because thats how depressing this sounds (plus there is like ZERO information about these guys anywhere on the internet).  The bass is fucking heavy (which is rather rare for recordings like this, that sound like they were done within a toilet), and minimalistic keyboard parts carry out a simple melody throughout each track.  Great stuff, I’d love to hear more of this band, but unfortunately they are no longer with us. 

-Log. 

Raspberry Bulbs - “Nature Tries Again” (Hospital Productions 2011)

I’m not reviewing this records to be hip, because this band is all the rage lately in black metal circles. I reiterate, I am not trying to be hip, and I certainly don’t want any of my followers to REBLOG TO ALL OF YOUR FOLLOWERS to make myself more popular and cool. That would certainly be a bad thing. Seriously.

Raspberry Bulbs is a one man band who’s sole member happens to be “He Who Gnashes Teeth” making him one half of the super popular for some reason Bone Awl (well there is a good reason…they are fucking sick).  This record (and project in general) couldn’t be further (and closer) to Bone Awl however.  Bone Awl is a black metal band stripped to the core of what BM is making them almost a punk/hardcore band. Raspberry Bulbs strips away even more making them (him?) a straight up punk band.  I really didn’t like two of three of RB’s previous demos, but for their first foray onto vinyl, this record just clicks.  It reminds me of current scum-punk bands like Pissed Jeans, or Total Abuse without the recording budget or desire for a clean sound.  You get 8 mid-paced simple, scummy, punk songs devoid of pretension and an outro.  The only black metal I can hear on this is the overall aura and mood the songs create.  I love this.  

This brings me to the band name.  Raspberry Bulbs is both the best and worst name in the history of BM/punk whatever.  It completely gives no insight to what to expect from the band, which I absolutely love about the name, it allows the songs to speak for themselves. On the other hand, the name is RASPBERRY BULBS. Barring my previous statement, I feel like no thought was given to the name whatsoever. It’s like when me and a friend wanted to start a band called Lemonade Stand.

All that aside this is a solid record. I suggest tracking it down now while the gettings good as there are only 500 in existence. 

-Log