Concrete Mascara - Perennial Disappointment [Malignant Records - 2016] |
Concrete Mascara is a power electronics name I recognise, but this is the first time I’ve properly listened to them, and - as the artwork, and titles, suggest - this is filthy, unrelenting stuff. The album never lets up for a second, beginning with a short, moody intro, before nailing down into a visceral wall of anger and unease. The trio mash together blasting vocals, scourging feedback, dirty synth lines, pounding rhythms, and plenty of plain noise. I said ‘mash’, and that’s a key word, because the elements really are smashed together; there’s no articulate, clean production here, every element interacts with those around it, making for a genuinely abrasive, caustic soundscape. This is not to suggest, however, that Perennial Disappointment is devoid of intelligence, or that it relies purely on brute force. Mouth of Flies, Tongue of Maggots is a breathing space, halfway through the album, which pursues a less aggressive path. It builds a truly decayed sound, on a worming loop, and lo-fi, blown-out percussion and reverb. It’s quietly anthemic. Elsewhere, though, Concrete Mascara are much less forgiving, and whilst the lyrics remain unintelligible, their delivery, and surrounding skree, create a world of negativity. It could be argued that there isn’t too much to discern between different tracks (though it would be wrong to say that it all ‘sounds the same’), but this creates a concentrated, thorough assault - and anyway, it didn’t do Reign In Blood any harm…
This is great, filthy PE; brutal, diseased, and savage. It doesn’t have the most colourful set of sounds, or much dynamic, but as a claustrophobic decent into the dark, it’s perfectly pitched. Whilst it is enjoyable as a headlong rush, there are still moments which show an attention to detail: the beautiful, delicately reverbed ending of Utopian Nightmare, which steals the air from the lungs, or the small delay swirl/jump in Snake Skin Stilettos, which precedes the full dropping of the hammer. But really, Perennial Disappointment is to be enjoyed/endured as an eight track long unleashing of hell.
My only personal disappointment is the lack of a lyric sheet with the promo copy I am reviewing, but the full release has a six panel inlay, which I would assume rectifies that issue    Martin P
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