Bleak Bliss: January 2018

Macronympha - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The world of harsh noise has a small number of truly classic, genre-defining records: The New Blockaders "Changes Les Blockeurs", Merzbow "Material Action 2", The Haters "In the Shade of Fire", Controlled Bleeding "Knees and Bones"... and this. Macronympha's 1995 LP "Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania" was first released by the German label Praxis Dr. Bearmann and had a huge impact on the next generation of noisers. This record is loud and ugly, relentlessly negative with savage tape edits and a palpable core of gut-level disgust. In 2009, Trash Ritual reissued it on CD for the No Fun Fest generation. You can hear the album's influence on bands like Hair Police, Prurient, Kakerlak, The Rita, Grunt, and so many others. If this is what Pittsburgh is like, I'm happy here in Ontario.

Macronympha - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Impregnable - Beauty Stone

Originally released on Iatrogenesis Records in an edition of 50, then reissued a matter of months later in an edition of 25.

C16 released on Callow God in 2006.

Beauty Stone

Maim - Solvents and Bleach

Little-known Swedish harsh noise act Maim unleashed this torrent of blech in 2005 as Trash Ritual's 3rd cassette.

Maim - Solvents and Bleach

Impregnable - Apart

There was an earlier privately released C10 with the same title. I've never heard it but apparently the only thing the same is the title.

C20 released on Callow God in 2006.

Apart

Impregnable - Glass Body / Private Healer

Double C10 packaged separately but still part of the same release courtesy of Callow God in 2006.

Glass Body / Private Healer

Strict - Kiss

Obscure, nasty power electronics act Strict has just a handful of low-profile releases to his name plus collaborations with Taint and Pain Jerk, and seems to have stopped altogether in 2002. The material on this LP was recorded in 1993 and 1994, but released as a 250-copy record by Trash Ritual in 2008.

Strict - Kiss

Impregnable - Cherish

Three sides of harsh slap followed by one of sweetly calming church-space drone.

Double C12 on Callow God in 2005.

Cherish

Slogun - Bloody Roots

"True Crime" thuggish power electronics from New York, released on CD by Trash Ritual and the band's own Circle of Shit label in 2009. Noise by tough guys who probably like to fight. Doesn't do much for me, but your own mileage may vary.

Slogun - Bloody Roots

Impregnable - Romantic Fever

True romance on a C18 released on Tone Filth in 2005.

Romantic Fever

Sick Buildings - Consult/Manage

Nauseating frequencies and rumble by an under-documented Canadian noise head, who also ran the rundownsun label in Vancouver.

Sick Buildings - Consult/Manage

Impregnable / Pedestrian Deposit - Forlorn (Endless Longing)

You know where you are with the Impregnable track whilst Jonathan Borges eventually drifts away into dronescapes.

C20 released on Monorail Trespassing in 2005.

Forlorn (Endless Longing)

Heart2Heart / Impregnable - Split

Sasha Wiseman (aka Coppertone) and Nicole producing discordant guitar debauchery. Jeff's track is similar to the previous posts but (perhaps) starts to point towards his later projects.

C10 released on Callow God in 2006.

Heart2Heart / Impregnable

The Hip Priest

M.E.S. left us yesterday. I couldn't post this last night. I hoped that if I refused to accept it then it wouldn't be true. Unfortunately, it was still true this morning.

I was 13 years old when I went to a mate's house ... his much older brother had bought Live At The Witch Trials and we sat there listening. I'd never experienced anything like it. I hated it and loved it, I was scared shitless but felt joyous and left the house utterly confused. I was the boy who's head expanded. Literally nothing was true any more ... it hit me like a hammer and turned the world inside out ... changed my life forever. Immediately.

I'm from North Manchester and you have no idea what that was like then unless you were there. Unremittingly bleak. ... and there is this person who sings, squeals and slurs in my accent ... a few miles from me Mam's front door? The world suddenly opened up in front of me and unveiled itself. It still looked like shit, but there was a future after all! The future was The Fall!

I used to go to Prestwich regularly with childish dreams that I would just bump into him. It didn't happen then and on reflection I should have checked out the Joey Holt's boozers. Later in life, I got to meet him several times. Without exception, it was not a pleasant experience. He was a cantankerous bastard ... but he was my cantankerous bastard!

To echo Mr Peel: The Fall have given me more pleasure over a longer period of time than any other band ... the band by which, in our house, all others are judged.

The archetypal awkward git who got away with it because he was a fucking genius. The Northern white crap that always talked back. A true poet. I utterly adore him and I always will!

R.I.P. M.E.S.

Viper - The Torture and Murder of an Electric Guitar

One-time-only moniker for Joe Roemer/Macronympha's solo noise. Released as an edition-of-65 cassette in 2008 by Trash Ritual.

Viper - The Torture and Murder of an Electric Guitar

Blud Thirst / Impregnable - Split

Blud Thirst is the work of Evan Pacewicz (who also played in Moth Drakula, Roman Torment and Wire Werewolves. He opens with what sounds like Swans and Sonic Youth playing together when they are in extraordinarily bad moods with sinister film dialogue running over the top ... until it burst into harsh-end noise with intermittent guitar scree. It follows this gorgeous thing up with a choice low end rumble. I've only got this and the Treriksröset split. If anyone can fill in the blanks, I'd really appreciate it! Jeff has his hands full following this but smashes it out of the park with a gorgeous high pitched noise assault.

CDr released on Phil Blankenship's Troniks in 2005.

Blud Thirst / Impregnable

Wilt - Blak Erth

Only two words in the title, and no one had the heart to tell him that they're both spelled wrong. Released as two tapes in a painted plastic box by Trash Ritual in 2007.

Wilt - Blak Erth

Ahlzagailzehguh & Impregnable - Sole Possession

More short, sharp harsh noise niceties from a pair of greats.

C10 released on Callow God in 2006.

Sole Possession

Taskmaster - Untitled

Massive-sounding stoner roar from the same Vancouver wall-noise scene that included The Rita, BT.HN and Sick Buildings. Released as an edition-of-75 tape by Trash Ritual in 2006.

Taskmaster - Untitled

Romance / Maim / Ahlzagailzehguh / Impregnable - Split

Dean Glaister, Jonas Lindberg, James Cooke and Jeff Witscher with a harsh blast each.

Double C10 released on Callow God in 2005.

Romance / Maim / Ahlzagailzehguh / Impregnable

Macronympha & Bizarre Uproar - Split

A 7" split single of extreme perv noise, with American band Macronympha on one side and Finnish filth enthusiasts Bizarre Uproar on the other.

Macronympha & Bizarre Uproar - Split

Ex Jesus / Impregnable - Ex Jesus / Impregnable

Matthew Sullivan and Jeff Witscher making a splendid harsh racket.

C10 released on Callow God in 2005.

Ex Jesus / Impregnable

Squamata - Arrogant Absolut

Fuzzball roar from Finland, released on tape by Trash Ritual in 2006.

Squamata - Arrogant Absolut

The Rita with Impregnable - The Rita with Impregnable

... and this time it's a mail collaboration.

C20 released on Callow God in 2008.

The Rita with Impregnable

Genius Females - Tightening the Hinges

Half an hour of noise by Matthew Sullivan, who is a member of Deep Jew and is the same guy behind Ex-Jesus, Privy Seals, Protein Den, Earn, and several others. Released as a tape by Trash Ritual in 2006.

Genius Females - Tightening the Hinges

Impregnable / The Rita - Split

The brilliant Jeff Witscher and the brilliant Sam McKinlay ...

Double business card CDr set released in an edition of 50 on Iatrogenesis Records in 2005.

Impregnable / The Rita

Gelsomina - The Skulls Have Spoken

Trash Ritual turns its attention to Finland for a blast of harshness by Gelsomina with contributions by members of Bizarre Uproar and Clay Figure. Released as a cassette in 2007.

Gelsomina - The Skulls Have Spoken

Hollow Bush - Null-A Pt. 1

Whilst we're on the subject ... here's Bryan Martin and Rodger Stella with a live recording of skronk electronics that perfectly fits the oeuvre of the label that it was released upon.

CDr released on Chocolate Monk in 2007.

Null-A Pt. 1

Hollow Bush - Wrong Hole

2007 cassette on Trash Ritual by Rodger Stella's post-Macronympha duo.

Hollow Bush - Wrong Hole

Taeter - Absolut Nothing

This is Nicola Vinciguerra, who you will know better as Fecalove and operator of the Italian division of Turgid Animal. Twisted and brilliant.

CD jointly released on Turgid Animal and Trash Ritual in 2010.

Absolut Nothing

Filthy Turd - Hot Summer in the City/No Values

He may have one of the worst ever band names in noise (though it's still slightly better than Cock Scene Investigators), but Filthy Turd makes some appreciably ugly din. Released as a tape in a painted manilla envelope with art glued on by Trash Ritual in 2006.

Filthy Turd - Hot Summer in the City/No Values

Gilles de Rais Order / Mania - Split

I don't know who is behind Gilles de Rais Order but the name is taken from a 15th Century French nobleman who was a convicted child serial killer. The reverse is Keith Brewer ... hurrah!

7" released on Trash Ritual in 2009.

Gilles de Rais Order / Mania

Failing Lights - Scent Pattern

Low-frequency, shit-fidelity feedback burl by Mike Connelly (of Hair Police, Wolf Eyes, Clay Rendering and CEO of the Gods of Tundra label).

Failing Lights - Scent Pattern

Craniopagus - Terrace

Power electronics scum, released by Trash Ritual in 2008 in an edition of 75 copies.

Craniopagus - Terrace

Cock Scene Investigators - Stolen Public Toilets

A noise trio from Pittsburgh, PA, featuring Joe Roemer (of Macronympha) with Ed-um Bucholz (of Telecorps) and Nick Painter left behind only this LP as evidence of having ever existed. Edition of just 200 copies.

Cock Scene Investigators - Stolen Public Toilets

Various - Hated Perversions

Filthy noise and perverted power electronics courtesy of Nicole 12, Sick Seed, Bizarre Uproar, Eleczema, Grunt, Taint, Dorchester Library and Control.

This came with a 28 page booklet cataloguing some of the most extreme sexual fascinations to appear in a "noise" release. It even got it banned from sale on discogs ... probably to avoid them being prosecuted for distributing obscene publications. The booklet isn't included (which may be good or bad news) but if somebody wants to hook people up in the comments ...

Unsurprisingly, this was released (in 2008) on Freak Animal Records as part of their Institute Of Paraphilia Studies series.

Hated Perversions

Various - Eleven Notes In Black

A whole heap of Texan noise: Melanie Riehle, S.P.I.T., Loudspeaker, T.E.F., Last Rape, Concrete Violin, Forced Orgasm, Werewolf Jerusalem, Baptist Skin Communiti, In The Land Of Archers and White Nurse Black Death.

CD released on Mask Of The Slave in 2009.

Eleven Notes In Black

Ninth Massacre - 1992-1996

A massive blast of Texan noise courtesy of Richard Ramirez and Dwayne Cathey that I originally posted four years ago. The first tape uses the work of Taint (aka Keith Brewer / Mania) as source material btw.

Two C60s and two C90s released on Trash Ritual in 2006.

Flesh/Punishment : Murder

Drazewar : Unreleased/Givenchy

Shinro Ohtake - Zen-Kei Retrospective 1955-2006, 大竹伸朗 - 全景

Shinro Ohtake (of Juke/19 and Puzzle Punks) is also, as if you didn't know, an extraordinary artist in his own right. The title of the post is the name of the book published following his retrospective exhibition held at The Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, in 2006. A massive 1152 pages documenting his life and works (and no, this isn't a scan of the book ... that would be ridiculous).

To be honest, I didn't even know that it existed . Until Caitlyn / CPI commented in one of the Puzzle Punk posts that is. Luckily she bought the book and ripped the two CDs that came with it ... and then gave them to us as flac copies. It even comes with photographs. A truly wonderful thing to do!

This also feels like an appropriate time to re-up the Juke/19 boxset that Mrs Inside posted four years ago almost to the day ... just in case you missed it.

All Hail Caitlyn / CPI!

Shinro Ohtake & Dub-Hei New Chanell - Found Heat (Jyu-Netsu) & DA (2007)

Club Moral - Mit Neuen Waffen

Trash Ritual was a very interesting label while it lasted. Not only did they secure top-notch noise by some of the best of the 00s underground, they also reissued key albums that strongly influenced the label's aesthetic. This one, which TR produced as a CD in 2010, polishes off an obscure Belgian industrial cassette from 1982 and gives this nasty, brutish document a deserved spotlight. Club Moral are a band, a label, and a venue for experimental music and noise in Antwerp. They began in the early 1980s and are still active in sound, performance and visual art today! They even received a deluxe Vinyl-On-Demand boxset treatment in 2011, though Trash Ritual was there first.

Club Moral - Mit Neuen Waffen

Rovo - Live at Hibiya-Yaon 2003.05.05 - Man Drive Trance Special -

Finally, the final Rovo post...

Double CD released on Wonderground Music in 2003.

Man Drive Trance Special

Edward Allan Clarke

Today it was announced that Fast Eddie died yesterday ... and now all three are gone!

The worst thing about getting old is that your childhood heroes die. Nobody told me it would be like this when I came along for the ride. Frankly, it shouldn't be allowed.

As a very young child, I saw them at the Manchester Apollo on the Ace Of Spades tour. Right down at the front of the stage ... off my tits on cider and mushrooms ... and walked out temporarily deaf.

Stone cold genius and now stone dead forever.

Climax Denial - Fragile Grace

Climax Denial presents a powerful set of anguished, sex-obsessed "emo" power electronics, released in 2005 by Trash Ritual in an edition of only 50 copies. More than 50 people need to hear this. If you like it (and you will), you'll be glad to know that Mr. Denial is still producing albums and they're all worth seeking out. The newest one I'm aware of was an LP on Fusty Cunt. Go get it!

Climax Denial - Fragile Grace

Rovo - Live at Magasin 4 - 2004.06.04 Brussels, Belgium

A self-explanatory live excursion ...

CD released on Rovolone in 2005.

Live at Magasin 4

Ba.Ku & BT.HN - Ritual Totemic Stone

This tape came out in two editions, each credited to a different "band". The first edition from 2005 was attributed to Ba.Ku (aka Sam MacKinlay of The Rita). The next edition, released a year later, had a different cover and was credited to BT.NH instead. I have no information about why this happened or what it means. In either case, the sound contained herein is a blackened harsh wall of raw Canadian fury. Both versions were released by Trash Ritual. Perhaps you're noticing a pattern.

Ba.Ku & BT.HN - Ritual Totemic Stone

Rovo - Live at 京大西部講堂 2004.07.18

Recorded live at the pretty legendary Kyoto University Western Auditorium.

CD released on Rovolone in 2006.

Live at 京大西部講堂

Alfarmania - Kofotsrekyl

This tape of vicious, Swedish yuck was the debut release from the dearly-departed Trash Ritual label back in 2006.

Alfarmania - Kofotsrekyl

Rovo with Alejandro Franov, Fernando Kabusacki, Santiago Vazquez - LIVE at 東京キネマ倶楽部 7／7 2006

Don't worry my tie-dyed bredrin ... I'm not done yet!

Double CD released on East Works Entertainment Inc. in 2007.

LIVE at 東京キネマ倶楽部

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