Top Bar
Musique Machine Logo Home ButtonReviews ButtonArticles ButtonBand Specials ButtonAbout Us Button
SearchGo Down
Search for  
With search mode in section(s)
And sort the results by
show articles written by  
 Review archive:  # a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Merzbow - Coma Berenices [Vivo Records - 2007]

Coma Berenices finds Merzbow mining father into rock like elements to make an album that takes in a droning rock like air, that’s heavy with a doomy and sleek blackness, making the simple white on black cover seem very apt indeed.

I guess the  closet comparison in his vast discography would be 2002 Merzzow, as each track here is based around a  looped/ repetitive guitar element and are on the fairly short side for his work around the eight to ten minute mark each, but where Merzzow did drag in places and felt a bit too clean in the production states. Coma Berenices is a lumbering beast of an album, mixed nice 'n' grimy and lo-fi. The tracks main riffs are merged very nicely with improvised guitar and noise soloing elements, so it has a satisfying fog like feel to it, The melodies and riffs he’s chosen  here are very darkly atmospheric. The opener Earth worms feels like Popol Vuh’s soaring melancholy soundtrack to Aguirre  feed through loads of distortion and feedback,  giving a great grim cinematic start to the album. Later on we have Alishan which starts with a fine throbbing doomy psychedelic rock riff, and slowly becomes more overfeed and swirled by  layers of guitar improvisation and atmospheric noise guitar.

This really is some of his best more approachable work- as it still mangers to be inventive and varied, the tracks always keep you interested. I can very much see this been enjoy way beyond the noise scene to those who like drone rock, Doomy soundtracks and black as pitch rock music.

Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5

Roger Batty
Latest Reviews

Merzbow - Coma Berenices
Coma Berenices finds Merzbow mining father into rock like elements to make an album that takes in a droning rock like air, that’s heavy with a do...
211124   The Stalking - The Stalking
211124   Nordvargr - Resignation IV
211124   Carnal Savagery - Graveworms,...
211124   The Red-Light Bandit - The Re...
211124   The Invasion - The Invasion(B...
201124   Neil Ardely - A Symphony For ...
191124   Dan Hicks And His Hot Lick - ...
181124   Advent - Advent(Digital)
181124   Mother Mallards Portable - Ma...
171124   Sherlock Holmes And The Deadl...
Latest Articles

Whore’s Breath - life’s hard-...
The rather controversial named Whore’s Breath is the wall-noise project of  Cincinnati’s David Hilshorst. It started in 2021, and to date, i...
221024   Whore’s Breath - life’s h...
011024   David Kerekes Interview - Int...
030924   Tim Ritter Interview - Shot O...
100724   Radiance Films Interview - Le...
300524   Interview With Renaldo M/ Bri...
140524   The Wall Noise Of Hana Haruna...
280324   The Music of Clay Ruby & Buri...
290224   Sutcliffe No More - Normal Ev...
100124   Occlusion - The Operation Is...
181223   Best Of 2023 - Music, Sound &...
Go Up
(c) Musique Machine 2001 -2023. Twenty two years of true independence!! Mail Us at questions=at=musiquemachine=dot=comBottom