geräuschmanufaktur.

Geräuschmanufaktur

do I really need to preface these submissions anymore?

I get plenty.

most don't impress me.

the ones that do, they get promoted here.

that's it.

but I especially enjoy when people volunteer to send me physical copies. so when the man behind geräushmanufaktur offered to send me an assortment of his releases, I was excited...but unsure of what to expect.

and instead of doing a ton of research on the label before the materials even arrived, I held off and waited - I wanted everything to remain as unspoiled as possible.

I'm glad I did.

not only are these release sonically stellar, the packaging is top-notch and on par with some of the best stuff out there. quality printing, great cardstock, additional inserts - everything is dark but colorful, unsettling but beautiful.

of everything that I've heard, though, one has really grabbed me in an unexpected way - j.adolphe's collaboration with dead body collection, "deep into the halls," demands to be seen, heard, and experienced.

we're all familiar with dr. alex's monolithic walls, but j.adolphe's manipulation brings everything to life in a completely new way - he adds ambience, vocals, and real variety to the walls of static that combine to make for an obscenely compelling listen.

and the packaging is fantastic, too.

seriously, don't miss this tape - or any of the others, for that matter. releases from tanner garza and vomir are also great, and if you're in the mood for something a little more on the ambient side, pick up any of the j.adolphe solo recordings - there are plenty to choose from.

and up next is a collaborative release from dead body collection, with manipulations from the rita, vomir, and werewolf jerusalem.

wow.

keep an eye on this label.




(stream "deep into the halls.")

summer isle / aught void.

summer isle is the a brand new label started by sole death kneel member max klebanoff and sole RM member rita mikhael.

cassette releases sit right alongside zines in the summer isle store and the aesthetic is nothing if not consistently stark and beautiful.

both "crown vetch"  by RM and "french farewell" by death kneel feature great packaging and a host of extras, ranging from buttons to business cards.

and although it isn't a summer isle release, death kneel has another new tape, lilac & benzine, out now on aught void - another label that came to my attention only recently. the packaging for this one is simply beautiful - a clear cassette tucked inside a stamped manila envelope along with a zine and a dried lilac.

seriously, it's perfect in both form and content, and easily stands as one of my favorite tapes so far this year. and while you're over at the aught void bandcamp page, be sure to check out their newest release from vomir, as well as the harsh noise waltz compilation.

honestly, I can't recommend any these releases highly enough. max only has two releases under his "death kneel" belt but he and rita are well on their way to being a truly unique creative force in the power electronics scene.

at this point, my only concern is his ability to sustain such a high level of quality going forward...but it's definitely been done before.

I'm genuinely excited for the future of their musical projects and label and you should be, too, so do your best to support them in these early days.




(summer isle on bandcamp.)


(aught void on bandcamp.)

CAPA - the droves.

CAPA - The Droves

22:11

1. Sigh Of The Oppressed Creature

2. Chains And Garlands

3. Cull The Living Flower

as I've said before, band submissions that I actually enjoy are few and far between. although I enjoyed the philadelphia-based CAPA's full-length from last year and fully intended to mention it on here at some point, it slipped through the cracks.

but with previous releases on the stellar ivory antler label and a glowing recommendation from ben over at black metal and brews, I knew it was time to devote some serious attention to them, and their newest recording, the droves, released just a few days ago, is absolutely worthy of that attention and then some.

this EP is tight, focused, and displays a talent for combining disparate musical styles into a cohesive, emotional, and enthralling whole. after a few seconds of ambience, the guitars and drums kick in and the band never looks back.

the production sounds great, the riffs are solid, the vocals are perfect, and the whole thing is just consistently high-quality - definitely one of the best EPs I've heard so far this year and I highly recommend that you all check it out. a vinyl 10" with alternative artwork is in the planning stages, so keep an eye out for it.

and be sure to pick up all of their past releases on bandcamp before paying a visit to their facebook page to stay on top of future plans and releases.




(name your own price on bandcamp.)

black clothes - lygophilia.

Black Clothes - Lygophilia

5:30

1. The Great Leap

2. Memories

3. Ocean

sometimes I think that I judge submissions too harshly...scratch that, it's more like I judge everything too harshly. over the years I've seen a lot of works in progress - band demos, scripts, short films, feature films, even fine art - and the overwhelming majority just don't have it.

and that's not because I'm tied to some preconceived notion that good art should be one thing or another - I can find it in my cold, cold heart to love raw and polished, original and derivative works alike. but those things that I love, they need to have something I'm able to cling to, something that cuts deep and forces me to hold onto it.

sometimes I'm able to articulate what that thing is.

but sometimes I'm not.

and this is one of those times.

I don't know what it is about this debut demo from vancouver's (hilariously named) black clothes, but I've listened to lygophilia over and over, trying to pinpoint what makes me come back and I've thus far been unsuccessful. it's not groundbreaking, it's not filled with incredible riffs...but something makes me return to it again and again.

maybe it'll do the same for you, maybe it won't. hell, most of you will probably outright hate it. but it's only five minutes long, so give it a shot.

I don't think that's asking too much.




(pay what you want on bandcamp.)

street sects - broken windows, sunken ceilings.

Street Sects - Broken Windows, Sunken Ceilings

6:32

1. Gash Addict

2. Disappearing Infamy

3. Public School No. 4

street sects is back with part two of their gentrification series, titled "broken windows, sunken ceilings." it's more of the same, and I mean that as a compliment - the harsh digital rhythms, broken melodies, and abrasive vocals are back in full force on these three short tracks.

leo ashline has stated that these tracks deal with that point when, "fear is no longer a feeling but rather a physical presence. A sick and obsessive presence, one that follows you around tirelessly, breathing down your neck in broad daylight and looming over you while you sleep..."

you know what? that couldn't be more apt.

"gash addict" starts off with real menace before a ravenous beat kicks in. "disappearing infamy" begins as probably the most subdued street sects track yet, but soon juxtaposes that with more brutal sections. all three tracks do a great job at showing off just how multifaceted the street sects sound is - I just wish there was more of it.

I'm really looking forward to listening to all of the gentrification releases as a full-length album but until then, listening to these first two on repeat will have to suffice. and like the first release, this is definitely one that slowly reveals its intricacies with repeated listens. 

as I mentioned in my write-up of part one, any youth code fans will find a lot to like here, although the sound that ashline and cohort shaun ringsmuth have created definitely stands on its' own two feet, no doubt about it. part of what I like and respect so much about street sects' admittedly small output thus far is the commitment to both the musical foreground and the philosophical background. when ashline states that this record is about, "realizing that every day we grow older, the ceiling hangs lower, and the walls of the world contract further," we really see how much insight and depth there is to this project on more than just a musical level.

vinyl is in the works, with some unfortunate delays preventing us from being able to pick it up already...but keep an eye on the bandcamp page and it'll be up for sale soon. do your best to support these guys so they (and we) can continue this journey into decrepit, violent darkness.

(like street sects on facebook.)

(pay what you want for a digital version. vinyl coming soon.)

street sects - the morning after the night we raped death.

Street Sects - The Morning After The Night We Raped Death

7:19

1. Bliss

2. Fate On Her Knees

3. We Live

I haven't written up a band submission in a long time, and that's actually not due to a lack of material - there are quite a few I've been meaning to get to, I just haven't had the time.

so, in an effort to dive into that backlog, I figured I'd start off the with short-but-sweet debut seven inch from street sects. sonically, this reminds me a lot of youth code, and I mean that in a good way - it's noisy and harsh but strangely danceable at times and doesn't really conform to any single genre's prevailing paradigms. but who really cares about labels when the music is this enjoyable?

based out of austin, tx, street sects recently made their live debut just before sxsw this year. the next seven inch, the second in what will ultimately be a series of five installments of a series titled, "gentrification," is already in the works. 

as for this one, two hundred copies of black vinyl are for sale now, and when all is said and done, there will eventually be three hundred copies of the five-part box set on colored vinyl for sale.

the black vinyl version is currently for sale on street sects' bandcamp page and the digital version is available as a name-your-price download. I for one can't wait to hear what these guys come out with next. I wish them all the best and look forward to sharing their next release with all of you.



(buy the vinyl or digital version on bandcamp.)

cult of apophis - murder house demos, volume one.

Cult Of Apophis - Murder House Demos, Volume 1

Bandcamp

Facebook

I'll be honest, most of the demo submissions I receive will never get posted here.  the majority are terrible. others are good but just not in line with what I like to post. so when I get a demo that I enjoy and that fits in with the rest of this blog, it always puts a smile on my face.

but by nature I'm always very skeptical. life has taught me to trust no one and to expect the worst in pretty much every situation. when I received an email from ian, bassist for cult of apophis, with a link to their bandcamp and facebook pages, I wasn't expecting much. but seeing that the demo was short, I figured I'd give it a shot.

and am I ever glad I did.

like the previous band submission that I featured, cult of apophis are a new band on the scene, having formed early this year in michigan. they've only played five shows so far and released this demo less than two months after forming. I've gotta say, I'm pretty blown away.

"murder house demos, volume one" is a bubbling cauldron of black metal and doom metal that achieves the ever-elusive perfect mix of brutality, melody, and atmosphere that so many bands strive for but never reach. these three tracks run a little more than eleven minutes and everything is so solid that I've listened to it three times in a row without flinching and just cued it up for a forth.

it isn't totally groundbreaking but I'll be damned if it isn't great. and best of all, it shows incredible promise. there's no standout track - they all compliment each other perfectly - and when it's over, you're eager to hear more. I've been told that they have a second demo on the way, one track of which can be heard here. they're currently unsigned but I'm sure that'll change in the near future.

give cult of apophis and their inaugural demo a shot - no fan of this blog will be disappointed. and stay tuned to their facebook page for more info on shows, the next demo, and all future developments.

(pay-what-you-like on bandcamp.)

(like cult of apophis on facebook.)

dunnock - a forest of shattered promise.

Dunnock - A Forest Of Shattered Promise

Bandcamp

Facebook

if the formatting above looks a little different, that's because this is the first album that has ever been submitted to the blog for my review. and since this one is available as a pay-what-you-like digital relase on bandcamp, I won't provide a direct download link.

with that preamble out of the way, here we have dunnock's "a forest of shattered promise," available now on acephale winter productions. both the label and band are brand new, having been formed (according to facebook, at least) in january of this year. in addition to the digital version, a cassette edition limited to fifty copies is also available. 

stylistically, this is a mash-up of black metal, noise, and ambience, with some synth lines tucked in to add a little melody to the chaos. after two instrumental, mostly ambient tracks, the black metal aspect kicks in - pained screams and distorted guitars, all covered in a think layer of noise somewhat akin to luciform-era sutekh hexen.

after one more black metal track and another ambient track, "with raven feathers" comes to life immediately, and it's definitely a highlight. noisy black metal sections bookend what is mostly a melancholic, synth-driven piece. the next track, "I told you I was sick," is another long one that's split pretty evenly between black metal and ambient synth melodies. 

for the most part it works really well but, honestly, it's not all as seamless as it should be - the transitions between styles don't always flow into one another, and at times it feels a little too disjointed.

that being said, for a debut from a band that has only been in existence for a couple of months, there's both a lot to like here and a lot of potential for the future. although this isn't an earth-shatteringly original record, any and all fans of noisy black metal should definitely check it out and keep an eye on both dunnock and acephale winter productions - future endeavors should be very promising.

(pay-what-you-like or buy the cassette on bandcamp.)

(like dunnock on facebook.)

(like acephale winter productions on facebook.)

(note: if you're in a band or have a musical project that you think would fit in well on this blog, feel free to send a download or streaming link to imagerymetallic@gmail.com.)