Bite Itself / Self Com - split c20 out on Casual Men

images of release courtesy of terminalescape blogspot

Both of these dudes are casual members of supergroup PigHeartTransplant, so it goes without saying that these tracks aren't going to disappoint. Quality pro-dubbed black cassettes, minimalist artwork with slick black multifold j card.
BITE ITSELF - Hotel Abyss, a side long track comes off as one mans moral struggle with the duality of human nature. I could easily see this originating from a peyote induced, paranoid psychotic delusion of Good vs. Evil, playing itself out in an abandoned hotel in small town new mexico. Surrounded by distorted rattle snakes, a deranged lunatic blathers about heaven's angles. Tormented creeks whirl and wisp by whipping blades sharpening themselves. Individually, the abrasive drones heard here would actually be quite palatable and soothing to my ears, but this cocktail of harsh blasts of concentrated feedbacks, thunderous pulsing, and awkward mutterings have a rather tensing affect. Suspense and discomfort draw me in with a familiar, somehow welcoming feeling. Like getting a letter from your dead grandmother saying how much she's looking forward to your death cause she just can't hang out with you in the afterlife.
SELF COM - Status Report, analog synth drones emulate the sounds scientists must be hearing when they "tune in" to specific stars in outer-space with their phono-telescopic instrumentation and listen to the audible signatures radiating throughout the celestial galaxies. - Dead Space is a simple four note progression repeated with a light layer of high-pitched squeal and droning lyrics about a spaceman coming or something. As cheesy as that may read, its actually a pretty catchy little tune. - I'm a man is sort of throwback to the Status Report track. Over-driven synth drones or maybe a recording of a turbine engine played backwards like Hypnotoad. I don't quite understand any of the lyrics on this track, but near as I can tell, Self Com is opening up cosmic portals to communicate these chants in the ancient tongues of his reptilian overlord.  

Ritual Stance - "second skin" - CDr on Void Seance

my copy is # 2/12 and came w/same photo as pictured

This is my first Ritual Stance experience, and I liked it. The cdr has a picture of a DOD Thrash Master on it, and somehow it kinda makes me wish I had a DOD FX59 Thrash Master. A photo of a fairly minimal rig compliments the 50 minute track of cracklin' HWN that'll cure your cravings for a heavy dose of good ol' fashion blistering hot wall noise. Subsonic rumbling underneath a blanket of crackling ant colonies. Very pure. Intense. It's the best Harsh Noise Wall or Harsh Wall Noise I've heard since the last time I listened  to Slates New Bug Nation Vol 1.  

Hemingway / Triumph of Lethargy Skinned Alive to Death - "split" on Dead Accents

Hemingway Side - Right out the gate, Hemingway gots a nicely composed, symmetrical little ditty. a music-box melody, so innocent and true, softening you up for what Hemingway do. They jam on the right, they slam in the left. Screeching and wailing, til we all got deft. They strum and they scream, they pound it in pride. They twiddle and sing, I laughed and I cried. These are just classic H/way cuts. heavy guitar/bass jams coupled with a bunch of loop frenzies and shane going on adrenaline freak-out and microphone-eating spazz attacks. plus you got some weirder, polished studio edits quite different from the chaos they play live.

Triumph of Lethargy Skinned Alive to Death Side - Some pretty stark tunes for a band with such a long-ass name. dismal oddities of meandering loops of guitar/drums/other. Nullified lounge music for the mentally unstable, or perhaps the soundtrack to your unfruitful pathetic loser life of futile endeavors and unfulfilled dreams. It took a few listenings' just to begin to appreciate the  bleak revelations of despair communicated on this tape.  My affection grows more and more each time I listen, that is, until the vocals in the last track kick in front and center. Dude sounds like some washed up, burnout, Jello Biafra wannabe. It kinda sounds like this guy may have been someone back in the day; and these guys must just suffer from some dick worship of their idols from yesteryear and invited his hasbeenness to belt out on the track. minus the vocals and this tape would be tits.

Demian Johnston - "rhey of guernica" on Dead Accents

Demian's screen printed cover is this iconic drawing of a skull with a dripping jaw, crucified on an upside-down anarchy symbol. There are T-shirts sporting this logo on them somewhere out there as well. bad ass.

A1 - some sorceristic sludge, slow like molasses, and o))) so heavy. aggravated vocal rasps set against mammoth  low-end riffage of grueling feedback. a faint and simple drum beat turns it into an anthem of wide open Doom.

A2 - melodic guitar-picking loop builds layers and drones to create a gentle breeze rustling through a delicate wind chime effect. slowly over time, more and more tender guitar creaking woes are introduced to the ever so softly repeating wall of loops. The collage builds up steam, feeding off of errand pick-up disturbances and interrupted fret damage. It's a real sleepy jam and the tracks' dub'd kinda low, so have it cranked or you just might miss it all.

B1 - Ominous swellings of progressive power-chord dronage drive into deeper and darker waters. That wind-chimey guitar loop eventually works its way back into the mix and its like dejavu, nostalgically evoking  flashbacks of your old haunts on side A. Heavy.

B2 - When you get your hands on a copy of this tape, just ffw to the middle and flip it to side B for immediate satisfaction. Joined by Andrew Crawshaw on drums, DJ pulls out a most righteous offering of slow death. This track is your master, you are the willing slave begging for a long stint of slow, steady beating. And just when it it's starting to climax; the tape's over. Awe fuck! Easily my favorite Demian Johnston hit ever. gimmie more. more more more more more more more of this.  

The Insect Explosion - difficulty without direction - on Dead Accents

The Insect Explosion is rad. Digitally slowed at times to give the drums just the right amount of that glitched out echoverb sound. Dank, distorted cavernous bass grooves crush overdriven drum-machine loops. build ups to sludgy breakdowns give way to drone layers that create an interesting, perhaps epic industrial doomspazz album. White c97, light-defusing J-fold, same 10 tracks on each side. For Fans of The Melvins and Phantomsmasher.

Demian Johnston "fallen timbers" c51 out on Dead Accents

Dead Accents have output a steady stream of highly coveted low-run releases over the past few years, but I've taken a real shine to this one. The labels co-founder, Demian Johsnston picks up his guitar and does no wrong. With no guitar picking wankery or noodle-neck fretting, Fallen Timbers is a nice long sprawling drone induced by long-term exposure to the cold and grey Seattle winters. His guitar gently weeps mournful shoegaze sorrows of pure Black Doom. The track was recorded live by label mate Andrew C in front of a live audience, but you wouldn't know it if it weren't fer the applause at the end. Timbers Fallen is much shorter, and credited as being made up of live sound clips. It pretty much sounds like the same stuff, like maybe it was made of of a few clips of the practice jams before the show. It's a cleaner & crisper recording that finds its way into a slightly heavier reign. Got to be the most exemplery Demian Johnston recording out there if you ask me. Program repeats on the B-side. Only 23 exist and they rule.