Bleak Bliss: 2019

John Wiese / MSBR - Untitled

An entirely extraordinary little disc. If John's work wasn't so exquisitely varied, I would quite happily say that his track is the best thing that he has ever done ... so lets just say that I think it's right up there.

3" CDr released on Gameboy Records in 2001.

John Wiese / MSBR

MSBR & Blazen Y Sharp - Mass For Dead Insects

Sinister subterranean echoes of malevolent machinery.

Originally released on MSBR Records in 1997.

Mass For Dead Insects

Sunshine Super Scum - Two Reactions

This was recorded in 1995 and it feels a bit like the label was late on the deal. Not complaining but it looks as though the band had left the building by this point.

I don't have a rip of the "Thrown Into Your Circle" single just in case anybody could help me out with that one?

7" released on Siltbreeze in 1997.

Two Reactions

Sunshine Super Scum - Sunshine Super Scum

I'm feeling the drift again ... before I forget, someone asked for Sunshine Super Scum. This is much more of an EP than an album but who cares. They appeared very briefly and recorded almost nothing ... think Tragic Mulatto with a KillLizarddozer bassline.

A brief CD released on ZK Records in 1993.

Sunshine Super Scum

MSBR - Structured Suicide +

One track of reworked source material from the original "Structured Suicide" tape followed by the thirtieth installment of the Final Harsh Work.

CDr released on Denshi Zatsuon in 2003.

Structured Suicide +

The New Blockaders - History Of Nothing

The aforementioned ...

CD released on Siren Records in 2001.

History Of Nothing

MSBR - Metal Stricken Terror Action - Dedicated To Richard Rupenus

This is largely a remastered and re-sequenced version of the tape that was released on Banned Production in 1995. It also comes with 13 minutes of reworked source material from The New Blockaders' "History Of Nothing" that had been released in Japan in 2001.

CD released on his own Denshi Zatsuon in 2005.

Metal Stricken Terror Action

MSBR / K2 - Split

I can't tell you anything about the dates of the recordings, or frankly anything else for that matter. It just appeared.

A "no label" release from 2008.

MSBR / K2

MSBR / K2 / Magmax - Split

Some classy live stereotype destroying work from Koji Tano's MSBR, two classic junk metal tracks courtesy of Kimihide Kusafuka and Koji's Magmax project that sounds like the goings on in a techno club run by Whitehouse.

CDr released on MSBR Records in 1999.

MSBR / K2 / Magmax

Guilty Connector / Bastard Noise / MSBR - Split

It does what it says on the decorative tin.

CDr released on MSBR Records in 2000.

Guilty Connector / Bastard Noise / MSBR

MSBR - Final Harsh Work #1

Lovely tape of MSBR remixed by Mr RoboChanMan.

C56 released on Yasushi Tahara's Robotomy Tapes in 1996.

Final Harsh Work

MSBR / RoboChanMan - Australian Sunshine Madness

A split production for sale during their Australian tour of the same year.

CDr released MSBR Records in 1998.

Australian Sunshine Madness

MSBR with RoboChanMan - Final Electro Acoustic Work 1

Collaboration between Koji Tano and Yasushi Tahara. When I posted the MSNP Japanoise tape, I said that amongst those artists that I knew nothing about was Moletown Crew ... who were, in part at least, the work of Yasushi Tahara. I should have joined the dots on that one a bit earlier. Ah well ...

CDr released on MSBR Records in 2003.

Final Electro Acoustic Work

MSBR - 303 Holy Mountain Electronixx

... and nine and a half years since I last posted this. Fully saturated noise. It's beyond excellent.

C46 released on Cling Film-Records in 1996.

303 Holy Mountain Electronixx

MSBR - Fracture Of Silence

It's been three years since I last posted this, but why not again? Let's face it, there should be more tapes released encased in giant Yorkshire puddings.

C54 released on Sounds For Consciousness Rape in 1995.

Fracture Of Silence

MSBЯ - 2,000 Thousends Contaminate Electronic Acid

Three tracks of blissfully contaminated electronics on this C48 released on Old Europa Cafe in 1994.

2,000 Thousends Contaminate Electronic Acid

Omoide Hatoba - Vuoy

Jump to 1997, "Vuoy" came out on a Japanese major label, Polystar, co-released by Cornelius' Trattoria label. As you might expect, the sound is more more accessible than Hatoba's earlier albums but it's still solid and fun. For fans of Yamamoto's other band, Rovo.

Omoide Hatoba - Vuoy

MSBR - Structured Suicide

Extraordinary full-on engine roar coupled with his sense of humour via ultra-warped minimal techno.

C54 released on MSBR Records in 1993.

Structured Suicide

Omoide Hatoba - Livers & Giggers

A single, 37-minute track that collages all sorts of live recordings from 1987 to 1993. Released on CD by Japan Overseas in 1994.

Omoide Hatoba - Livers & Giggers

MSBR - Euro Grappling Electro

Of course this was next...

CDr released on MSBR Records in 1998.

Euro Grappling Electro

Omoide Hatoba - Mantako

The first Omoide Hatoba album to be released outside of Japan, 1994's "Mantako" was released by Public Bath, an American label (and now, book publisher) dedicated to underground Japanese rock, punk and noise music.

Omoide Hatoba - Mantako

MSBR - Euro Grappling Electro 2

Recorded live at Namba Bears on the 23rd of March, 2000.

CDr released on MSBR Records in 2002 in an edition of 100.

Euro Grappling Electro 2

Omoide Hatoba - Suichi-Joe

My favorite Omoide Hatoba album, a truly inexplicable experience that mashes together styles of music that shouldn't be in the same room. Don't try to make sense of it. Just enjoy the ride. Released in 1992 by Alchemy. Your eyes are not lying to you: that is an image of someone with the world's worst belt buckle playing golf on the cover. This album might have been made to intentionally irritate people. I love it.

Omoide Hatoba - Suichi-Joe

MSBЯ - Ultimate Ambience

Now this is way to tell the rest of the world that they were wrong and he was right. He's still right.

LP released on MSBR Records in 1992.

Ultimate Ambience

Omoide Hatoba - Black Hawaii

Second album by Seiichi Yamamoto's schizophrenic psych/funk/noise/punk ADHD-inducing rock (?) band. Released by Alchemy in 1992.

Omoide Hatoba - Black Hawaii

Molten Salt Breeder Яeactor - Ultimate Ambience 2

A belated complement to Koji Tano's opening gambit ...

CD released on 20city in 2000.

Ultimate Ambience 2

Omoide Hatoba - 大音楽

Debut album by Seiichi Yamamoto's indescribable Omoide Hatoba, as hard to pin down as Yamamotor himself. The guitarist is known as a member of the legendary Boredoms, of the techno/trance band Rovo, as the owner of the Namba Bears live house, for his writing and art, for solo albums that range from soft rock to Derek Bailey-esque free improvisation to John Fahey-style acoustic music, to recordings of noise, jazz, psychedelic rock, to collaborations with Solmania, Acid Mother Temple, Anla Courtis, Phew, KK Null, Jojo Hiroshige, Michel Henritzi, Chie Mukai and on and on... the man does it all. On this album, he seems to be trying to do everything simultaneously. Released in 1990 by Alchemy Records.

Omoide Hatoba - 大音楽

MSBR - Collabodestructivists

Joint work with Crawl Unit, Daniel Menche and Basic Noise.

CD released on Isomorphic Records in 1997.

Collabodestructivists

1/3 Octave Band - Fading Light from Distant Suns

Following a lathe-cut single in 1999 (yet unheard by me), this is the debut album of New Zealand drone/noise duo 1/3 Octave Band, released as a CDR by the legendary Celebrate Psi Phenomenon label. The title is an accurate description of the sounds contained inside.

1/3 Octave Band - Fading Light from Distant Suns

MSBR / Government Alpha / Notchnoi Prospect - Japanoise Action In Russia

It does what it says on the tin.

CDr released on Insofar Vapor Bulk in 2000.

Japanoise Action In Russia

1/3 Octave Band - Irregardless

Their 2nd album, self-released as a CDR in 2000.

1/3 Octave Band - Irregardless

Various - Japanoise

And here is a roll-call designed to drop jaws ... Government Alpha, Pain Jerk, MSBR, C.C.C.C., KK Null, Mo*Te, Incapacitants, K2, Masonna and a harsh blurt courtesy of Melt-Banana.

CD released on Little Mafia Records in 2003.

Japanoise

Various - Japanoise

Good old fashioned Japanese harsh noise. The only name here that survives the test of time is Government Alpha ... with others being the likes of UR‹S›GE, Moletown Crew, Creation Of Nation and Shibireru Amagu (yep, me neither).

C90 released on Mother Savage Noise Productions in 1996.

Japanoise

1/3 Octave Band - Navigation By Light

2005 is a wonderful vintage for New Zealand drone music. This particular ambient apocalypse, by the massive guitar/electronics duo 1/3 Octave Band, was recorded live and issued on Campbell Kneale's dependably stellar Celebrate/Psi/Phenomenon label. Soak it in, but be careful. There are sharp edges hidden beneath those sunset tones.

1/3 Octave Band - Navigation By Light

1/3 Octave Band - Festerville

I've updated the download link for this, 1/3 Octave Band's fourth album, released as a CDR on Freedom From in 2002. New Zealand drone that threatens to veer into noise abandon but never quite does.

1/3 Octave Band - Festerville

Various - Show 会 Volume One

The excellent Omoide Hatoba, Folk Tales (the brilliantly sloppy collaboration between Masahiko Ohno and Shinji Uemoto), Ohmiya Ichi's Daihakase (which is the slightly sunnier aural equivalent of Gasper Noe's "I Stand Alone"), 15 minutes of Dub Squad (which is a strangled diversion from Hasegawa Chew marking his transition away from Omoide Hatoba and Boredoms and into Corrupted), enjoyably sprawling demos from Soap-jo Henshi and the admirably forthright demo of The Goonzees (and where the fuck did they not go and why?). Well that was a long sentence wasn't it.

A marvelous pair of C90+s that came with the Show-Kai Volume One fanzine in 1992 courtesy of fantastically evangelical Public Bath.

Superb Superlatives Я Us

1/3 Octave Band - Apocalypse Now and Then

Third album of serrated-edge drone bliss by the duo of Bill Wood & Jules Desmond (who was also an auxillary member of Campbell Kneale's ultra-slow doom metal band Black Boned Angel, and several pop groups of no distinction). Released in 2002 as a CDR on the band's own Stinkbuzz label.

1/3 Octave Band - Apocalypse Now and Then

Garadama - Garadama

MONOLITHIC!

CD released on Alchemy Records in 2000.

OOPS! I've dropped a bollock. An anonymous dropped a comment into a couple of their posts. They have a Bandcamp page that is excellent and I completely and stupidly missed it (and to make it worse, some of it is also in physical format). They even have the Gomidama release (Garadama and Pain Jerk no less) that I have been looking for for years. So I am going over there to pay penance (aka money).

Link Removed

Moth Drakula - Untitled

A very early self-released CDR from 2003 by punk noise duo Moth Drakula.

Moth Drakula - Untitled

Garadama - Garadama II

Doom glorious doom with a slice of psychedelics on the side.

CD released on Fiend's Shrine in 2006.

Link Removed

Moth Drakula & Mutant Ape - Morbid Sails

Good 'ol high-energy harsh noise from one American unit, Moth Drakula, and George Proctor's Mutant Ape from the UK. This short split tape was released in 2005 by Swampland, a label run by 1/2 of Moth Drakula. The spirit of punk in its purest form.

Moth Drakula & Mutant Ape - Morbid Sails

Swarrrm / Garadama - Shaking In Agony / 阿鼻叫喚

Swarrrm are a great grindcore band with the vocals of someone with a terminal lung disease being strangled. Brilliant! Garadama wallow in a plentiful supply of doom.

A really good but un-lengthy CD released on Diwphalanx Records in 2010.

Link Removed

Various - Balls To The Wall Magenta

Alien technology does exist after all ... amidst all of the good stuff there is Coa, Noiseramones, OOIOO, Incapacitants and two (yes, two) collaborations between Melt-Banana and Otomo Yoshihide.

CD released on Dohb Discs in 1996.

Balls To The Wall Magenta

Coa - Your Chill Lobe To My Sound Sleep

Bouncing clatterpunk sandwiched between two much longer form psychedelic pieces.

CD released on Tokuma Japan Communications in 1998.

My Sound Sleep

Coa - Smell Me, Smell My Grand Father

It's actually quite a good chat up line ... worked a treat with my Nan. Mind you, we were always a close family.

NoMeansNo basslines, Albini growling and an Unsane cover ... guessed where you are yet?

CD released on Japan Overseas in 1996.

Smell Me

Various - Aiyoku Jinmin 21 Seiki

I can only imagine the smile on Mr L's face when he realised that Incapacitants has named a track "rrrrrrrrrRon". You also get Hijokaidan, Merzbow and Solmania counterpointed by the likes of The Nihilist Spasm Band + Aya Ohnishi, Christine 23 Onna, Seiichi Yamamoto and Garadama.

CD released on Alchemy Records in 2000.

愛欲人民二十一世紀

Ferial Confine - Meiosis

This is the 2003 CD reissue of a 1985 cassette by Ferial Confine, an early pseudonym of ambient done guitarist Andrew Chalk. The tape originally appeared on the legendary Broken Flag label, but this version was remastered and cleaned up for release on Daisuke Suzuki's Siren imprint.

Ferial Confine - Meiosis

Various - Land Of The Rising Noise Vol. 1

Big Black is dead. The Buttholes have disappeared up their own surfers and NoMeansNo were repeating on themselves. Even my natural enemy was co-opted and turned into a commodity that was supposed to be my new friend. Go postal or go underground? I didn't have access to guns and I had to wait for a while ...

So into a world of ingénues who shuffled around mumbling "yeah i know stuff", this is Omoide Hatoba / Agencement / Dissecting Table / Aube / Children Coup d'Etat / DMV / Angel'in Heavy Syrup / Merzbow / Tokyo Dowser / C.C.C.C. / Hijokaidan and Keiji Haino.

CD released on Charnel Music in 1993.

... aka nice one Mason Jones!

Various - Land Of The Rising Noise Vol. 2

Again, there is (what is now) the hook of Contagious Orgasm and Melt-Banana and a whole host of other Japanese artists that largely passed me by. Regardless, it's a brilliant collection that does what they all should ... surprise and entertain all of the way down.

I mean, Kadura's shiny shiny shiny boots of leather on the first track followed by Der Eisenrost lifting the beat from Polygon Window's "Quoth"? C'mon ... that's genius ... and then you get more.

CD released on Charnel Music in 1997.

Two

Ultra Fuckers - Untitled

Think of a really shambolic Bunny Brains trying to channel their inner Lightning Bolt ... and getting it wrong. Yep, that's how great this is. Brilliantly and deliberately hopeless. I'm not even being sarcastic. It's great! I don't have much by them so if anybody wants to fill my empty Ultra Fuckers hole ... please do!

CDr released on Monopolka in 2006.

Ultra Fuckers

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