Cannibal Ritual/ Dead Body Collection - Split [Phage Tapes - 2016]Here’s a two C60 tape set that brings together four slices of no-nonsense, old-school, wall noise brutality from two of the scenes most intense & uncompromising acts. The release appears in a fairly scene generous edition of 75 copies, on long running & highly respected noise label Phage Tapes. As with all this labels tape release this release goes the extra mile on the packaging. Both tapes are murkily paint splattered- the first with black & red paint, and the second with black & white paint. The tapes come in a double cassette box- with each separate case featuring double-side screen printed art on black card sleeve. The front of these take in white inked representation of old prints that take in the devil, with each projects name & the labels logo in blood red on the spine & back flap. The reverse of each cover takes in grid lines of strange grey texts. All in all it’s a really neat looking release, making it definitely worth hunting down an original physical copy of this release. On tape number one we have two untitled track from German wall noise act Cannibal Ritual. And really if you’re familiar with this project past work you know exactly what to expect from these two untitled tracks- crude, nasty, lo-fi, and basically structured HNW. The first sides track is a blend of just two textures: A rolling & rapid exhaust like noise drone, and a juddering yet muffled set billowing. Both textures are of similar lower-to-mid range, and the whole thing sounds like it was recording in a extremely lo-fi manner- meaning there’s nothing subtle or nuanced about this…simply put it’s pure blunt & nasty HNW, & nothing more. Flipping over to side two, and once again it’s another simple & crudely recorded bit of wall-matter. The ‘wall’ brings together just the following two elements- a basic juddering, and a roaring ‘n’ churning tone. Just like the first sides track these elements are fairly similar in their narrow lower-to-mid tonal range. With the whole thing been recording in such a ill-defined manner, that it all really blends into a nasty ear drilling mass. Moving onto tape two, and we have two untitled tracks from Serbian based Dead Body collection- this project will need little or no introduction to anyone who has even a passing interest in walled noise, as since 2009 this project has released a truly huge body of work, though this year the project finally decided to call it a day. The first sides track opens with what sound like a horror/ torture film sample of lots of wailing, chopping, and moaning. Then fairly soon the ‘wall’ kicks in- it’s a dense & tight blend of: rumbling ‘n’ juddering low-end, & thick slicing ‘n’ circling static texturing. On a few occasions the film sample reappears in the mass of sound, but mostly this is a fairly set & rapid example of HNW. I guess compared with the Cannibal Ritual, there’s a fair bit more definition & separation to the recording & the layers, but this is still extremely brutal & intense wall-matter. The second sides starts up once again with another horror/ torture film sample- this time it’s lots of muffled screaming & chanting. Fairly soon the ‘wall’ has punched in, and it’s a fairly typically example of this projects work, as it brings together a deep bone grinding low-end, with layers juddering ‘n’ skittering mids. The whole thing feels like your head is been continual pressed down onto a throbbing, buzzing, thick & rapidly grinding wheel- with it’s reverberations & force emanating through ones entire being.
Between 2007 & 2010 this label put out more the than a few HNW releases, so it’s great to see with this release them once again returning to the HNW form to offer-up another very darkly arty & classy packaged release. As I mentioned in the opening paragraph this came in an edition of 75 copies- so you should still be able to pick this up. If you’re in the need of plain 'n' simple wall-noise brutality this really is a no-brainer. Roger Batty
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