magazine - the remix tapes.

Magazine - The Remix Tapes

49:00

102.86 MB

1. Treriksröset - Untitled

2. Werewolf Jerusalem - Untitled

3. Werewolf Jerusalem - Untitled

double cassette included with all special edition box sets of new forces' recent reissue of the rita's "magazine" featuring remixes from treriksröset and werewolf jerusalem.

the box set is easily one of the best packages I've picked up in a while and comes packed with a ton of great extras...although I wish I had sprung for one of those longsleeves.

anyway, copies of the standard double LP edition are still available from the label, plus there's a digital version on bandcamp.




(for remix purposes only.)

lingua ignota / the rita.

Lingua Ignota / The Rita ‎– Commissioned

29:25

54.67 MB

1. Lingua Ignota - The Girl From The Streets

2. Lingua Ignota - Jolene

3. The Rita - Black Eye Makeup Headband

4. The Rita - Makeup Circles On The Cheeks

new release from total black.

really interesting juxtaposition between these two sides...the lingua ignota tracks eschew noise entirely for a mournful, somber atmosphere while the rita tracks are...well...they're the rita.

copies are still available from the label, so buy one and support the artists and label.




(for commission purposes only.)

the rita - letestu.

The Rita - Letestu

10:19

19.22 MB

1. La Courtisane

2. Paquita

new seven-inch release from the rita dedicated to agnès letestu, a french ballet dancer.

read sam's description of his latest release here, it's much more thorough than I could ever be and I don't feel like paraphrasing.

send him an email to grab a copy and support the artist.




(for ballet purposes only.)

the rita - sharks and the female form.

The Rita - Sharks And The Female Form

29:12

65.47 MB

1. Untitled

2. Untitled

this new release from the rita comes in some stellar packaging...inserts featuring shark attack photographs and abstract art are paired with torn and blood-spattered women's bathing suit fragments to form a startling and immersive whole.

each side opens with audio of a woman describing a shark attack, followed by very textured yet brittle walls.

I haven't been listening to a ton of HNW lately but sam's work always manages to pull me back in. this one is out of stock from the label but reach out to sam via his blog, he might have a few copies left.

highly recommended.




(bakurita.)


(for shark knifing purposes only.)

the rita - pedicure deconstruction of the feminine.

The Rita - Pedicure Deconstruction Of The Feminine

47:30

88.91 MB

1. Pedicure 1

2. Pedicure 2

new release from the rita courtesy of bacteria field.

crumbling, glitchy walls of emptiness, which probably fits the current mood all too well.

total destruction, total isolation, totally unfeeling.

copies are still available from the label via the link below.




(buy a copy while they last.)


(for deconstruction purposes only.)

the rita / mania - together they're murder.

The Rita / Mania - Together They're Murder

38:49

72.1 MB

1. The Rita - Untitled

2. Mania - Untitled

3. Mania - Untitled

new cassette reissue of a CD-R from 2006 courtesy of bacteria field.

there's a wall from sam mckinlay on the first side and some harsh power electronics from mania on the other, including one track that wasn't on the original version.

much like everything else from bacteria field, this one is sold out, but there are two copies on discogs as of this writing.




(sold out.)


(for murderous purposes only.)

the rita - dark eye makeup for the stage.

The Rita - Dark Eye Makeup For The Stage

30:05

55.64 MB

1. Dark Eye Makeup For The Stage 1

2. Dark Eye Makeup For The Stage 2

new-ish release from the rita, courtesy of lust vessel imprint stiff sanctorum.

no discernible samples, no breaks, only the harshest walls.

copies might still be available from the artist. even if they're not, sam has a ton of great stuff for sale, so pick up something.

a few more are also on discogs, but they're unreasonably expensive.




(for stage purposes only.)

the rita - raymonda (stage arrangement of women).

The Rita - Raymonda (Stage Arrangement Of Women)

47:00

83.78 MB

1. Raymonda (Stage Arrangement Of Women)

just one forty-seven minute militant wall.

what more is there to say?

continuing sam mckinlay's obsession with ballet, released via old europa cafe and elettronica radicale edizione on...believe it or not, compact disc.

yes, I bought a compact disc.

it's been a while, that's for sure.

keep an eye out for copies via the above links or reach out to sam directly via his blog like I did...he's got a lot of great stuff for sale and your money goes directly to the artist.




(for arrangement purposes only.)

the rita - bunions greek plantar.

The Rita - Bunions Greek Plantar

29:53

55.9 MB

1. Untitled

2. Untitled

don't why I never posted this when it first arrived, just got lost in queue I suppose...

anyway, this standard cassette came with a patch and was bound with a pink ribbon.

really, it was a stunning package.

it's sold out from the source but there's one copy on discogs as of this writing...




(support the label.)


(ballet is woman.)

the rita - gamzatti.

The Rita - Gamzatti

28:08

52.21 MB

1. Untitled

2. Untitled

*note: I fixed a typo and somehow this got moved to the front page. don't ask me why. otherwise it's the same as the original from a few months ago...


as total black's first vinyl release, I couldn't think of anyone or anything more fitting than a new release from the rita.

featuring source recordings taken from ballet dancers' shoes, sam mckinlay has created his most cohesive, hypnotic work yet, and I just love it.

there are so many great textures here, it's great to see his work continue to evolve. mckinlay could've easily grown complacent and chosen to churn out generic wall after generic wall, but he doesn't. there's real care and craftsmanship put into this record and it shows.

the same goes for brett over at total black - he put so much thought and detail into making this record a reality, above and beyond the call of duty. great design and great supplemental materials - posters, full-color booklets, everything here coalesces into the perfect example of why he runs the best noise label around.

I don't know how, but copies are still available directly from the source.

buy one right now.




(buy a copy from total black.)


(for preview purposes only.)

the rita - queen sheets.

The Rita - Queen Sheets

1:00:19

114.02 MB

1. Untitled

 2. Untitled 

3. Untitled

4. Untitled

released about two months ago by the always-reliable urashima, queen sheets finds sam mckinlay manipulating megan miller's recordings taken from her own art installations focused on the duality of nylon.

soft yet strong, nylon has obviously been a preoccupation of mckinlay's for some time, and this collaboration truly takes his sonic art to a new conceptual level.

this double LP is nicely packaged, comes with a bunch of inserts, and is obviously well worth your time and money.

copies are still available on discogs so be sure to pick one up - highly recommended.




(for preview purposes only.)

the rita / herukrat - red imprint from ankle ribbon.

The Rita / Herukrat - Red Imprint From Ankle Ribbon

29:49

55.57 MB

1. The Rita - Ludmila Semenyaka

 2. Herukrat -  Woman On Beach With Head Turned

3. Herukrat - Red Imprint From Ankle Ribbon

as expected, more greatness these two acts.

I'm loving the rita's recent foray into the exploration of ballet techniques and herukrat just never fails to deliver.

released via nil by mouth, a label with an excellent track record.

a few copies are still available from analog worship via the link below, and I hear total black will be getting a few, too.

an obvious purchase.




(buy a copy from analog worship.)


(for preview purposes only.)

climax denial / the rita - preparing for pointe.

Climx Denial / The Rita - Preparing For Pointe

39:27

74.53 MB

1. Climax Denial - Arch Suggests Commitment To Perfection (Ballet Is Woman)

2. Climax Denial - Floor Pointe Stretch For Webcam Post Double-Ankle Surgery

3. Climax Denial - Tips For A Beginner (Requested Toe-Bend Video) Leave A Comment

4. The Rita - Oksana Shorik, Preparing For Pointe

here's the newest release from lake shark harsh noise, and their first in a while if discogs is to be believed.

juxtaposing two prolific artists, this is an early contender for best split of the year. the climax denial tracks are full-on wild power electronics while the rita's side is something of a departure from his usual material - in addition to the usual wall noise, there's a lot of classical music and dialogue samples, and the interplay between all three is really fascinating.

the packaging is standard LSHN - oversized booklet with inserts and tape, all sealed inside of a clear plastic bag.

as for purchasing options, I think a few were available via total black, but all seem to be gone now. your other option is to email sam mckinlay himself at lakesharkhn [at] gmail [dot] com and request a copy. he accepts paypal and should have no trouble shipping it to wherever you might be located.

but I'm sure this one will be gone soon, so don't pass it up - you'll definitely be seeing it on one my year-end lists.




(for preview purposes only.)

ba. ku. / bt. hn. - ritual totemic stone.

Ba. Ku. / BT. HN. - Ritual Totemic Stone

40:19

74.6 MB

1. Blackened Goating Woman

2. Desecration Of The Scraped Stone

what could possibly be better than satanic harsh noise?

nothing, that's what.

courtesy of sam mckinlay by way of urashima, this is the vinyl reissue of an extremely limited cassette from 2005. it's very reminiscent of mckinlay's work as the rita, but with more varied sonic textures and a healthy dose of brutal, distorted vocals.

it all begins with a satanic chant and quickly devolves into chaotic waves of noise.

and I absolutely love everything about it - the atmosphere, the brutality, the whole record is just amazing. and it definitely has a distinct black metal influence that any frequent reader of this blog should be able to detect.

yet the whole work is all unmistakably mckinlay.

the packaging is standard urashima - black cardboard sleeve with silver screen-printing, unlabeled black vinyl, and a single minimal insert. it's very simple but very classy - timeless, even.

copies are still available directly from the label and on discogs, so you have no excuse not to pick one up. any fans of the rita or mckinlay's myriad other projects would be remiss not to grab this stellar piece of vinyl.

ritual totemic stone is the best harsh noise recording I've heard in a long time and the fact that it was originally released almost ten years ago is staggering. seriously, buy a copy of this right now.

I can't recommend it highly enough.





(for preview purposes only.)

the rita - shooting sharks.

The Rita - Shooting Sharks

9:45

18.64 MB

1. Untitled

2. Untitled

it's the rita - what more do you need to know?

"all source sounds sampled from european westerns and shark hunting films."

of course you'd never know that just listening to it - everything here is completely decayed far beyond recognition.

this is ten short but brutal minutes from a master of the genre - don't hesitate.

copies are available for not-unreasonable prices on discogs.



(for preview purposes only.)

vice wears black hose - part 6.

Vice Wears Black Hose - Part 6

1:58:53

110.99 MB + 110.96 MB

1. Untitled

2. Untitled

3. Untitled

4. Untitled

this is just the latest entry in sam mckinlay and richard ramirez's long-running collaboration, vice wears black hose, released in a gorgeous double cassette package by new forces in 2011.

obviously, you all should know those two men from the rita and werewolf jerusalem, respectively, as well as dozens of other projects and collaborations. along with vomir, they truly define this sound and anything they put out is guaranteed to be worth your time.

check out a few clips from a rare live performance here, and do your best to support not just this project but the artists' others as well - even if it's only through second-hand purchases on discogs. and also be on the lookout for anything from new forces - they put together great packages from a variety of artists.



(sides a and b.)


(sides c and d.)

la vierge de nurembourg.

Torturing Nurse / The Rita / Safe / Vomir - La Vierge De Nurembourg

35:06

66.77 MB

1. Torturing Nurse - Eliminate (Part I)

2. Torturing Nurse - Eliminate (Part II)

3. The Rita - Diving Knives

4. The Rita - US Divers Vulcan/US Divers Aqua Lung

5. Safe - The Cooling Earth Trail (Part I)

6. Safe - The Cooling Earth Trail (Part II)

7. Vomir - Nothing Is No Title (Part I)

8. Vomir - Nothing Is No Title (Part II)

this four-way split comes courtesy of ireland's dot dot dot music, a record label specializing in the harshest of noise. run by paul hagerty, a member of safe, dot dot dot has been putting out releases on and off for close to ten years now, including material from merzbow and prurient.

but this one, in my humble opinion, is their crowning achievement - four translucent red 7" records inside of a slim plastic case with a full-color insert.

at least a couple of these artists should need no introduction - vomir and the rita have been featured and discussed here ad nauseam. so instead of wasting anymore time, just pick up a copy asap. honestly, don't even bother listening to the rip I've posted below.

just buy it and be proud to own this fantastic collaborative work.

(buy a copy from dot dot dot music.)

(for preview purposes only.)

the rita - retrospective two.

The Rita - Retrospective II

4:01:18

116.96 MB + 156.65 MB + 81.64 MB + 118.11 MB

1. Wolf Pack

2. Blechholler [featuring Mania]

3. Wild Woman (Dzunuk'Wa)

4. Two-Headed Serpent

5. Dogfish

6. Standing Water

7. Kali Hansa (FX59 X 2)

8. Barbara Rey (FX59 X 3)

9. Maria Kosti (FX59 X 4)

10. Loli Tovar (FX59 X 5)

11. The Driven - Dedicated To Werewolf Jerusalem

12. Line Cutting Part 3 (Les Bas De Soie Noire)

13. Untitled

14. Untitled

did you really think I wouldn't post this?

the second retrospective for sam mckinlay's the rita is exactly as brutal and unrelenting as you'd expect. after all, this is roughly four hours of the best harsh noise wall on the planet. and since it's sold out, how could I resist putting it up?

released by total black and limited to 100 copies, these are all long-gone, so congratulations to anyone who managed to snag a copy. inside the leather-textured box are four cassettes, a poster of the cover artwork, a booklet with info on each album, and reproductions of a few gig flyers. it's an absolutely incredible package, but what else would you expect from total black? if you somehow get a chance to pick one up second-hand, don't hesitate.

with that out of the way, on to the "music." I had only heard three of the six albums included here before and with the remaining albums going for astronomical prices on discogs and no rips anywhere online, I was excited to hear them for the first time.

and they don't disappoint.

I'd have to say that "koskimo house post" (tracks three - five) is my favorite album in the collection. it's so raw and jagged, but with such a deep, multilayered sound, that I hear new details every time I put it on. "village of holfen" (tracks eleven and twelve) and parisian dancing girls (tracks thirteen and fourteen) are highlights, as well.

do yourself a favor and buy something, anything, from total black. brett not only puts out fantastic releases, he also gets incredibly hard-to-find distro items that you'd be a fool to pass up.

and keep an eye out for total black's version of the rita's "the nylons of laura antonelli" eight-cassette box set that's coming soon. it's sure to be incredible.



(buy something from total back.)


(sides a and b.)

(sides c and d.)

(sides e and f.)

(sides g and h.)

the rita / caligula031 - self shop.

The Rita / Caligula031 - Self Shop

29:09

54.34 MB

1. The Rita - Mouths On Nylon, Hour Transaction

2. Caligula031 - Lady Vukovar

released on nil by mouth recordings a little more than a month ago, "self shop" went up for sale in the last total black store update and quickly sold out. lately, I've been listening to every release by the rita that I've been able to find and couldn't resist the urge to pick this one up - especially since it has such..."interesting" packaging.

sam mckinlay's side as the rita definitely doesn't disappoint. the samples, usually fully distorted into pure static, are strangely audible and provide an interesting counterpoint to the harsh noise wall that is there. it makes for a much more dynamic, and less hypnotic, track than mckinlay's work is usually known for.

caligula031 were new to me, but thankfully they've got a bandcamp page in case you want to get acquainted with some of their previous material. right now they only samples available for streaming, but it's better than nothing.

in contrast to the rita's harsh noise wall, caligula031's track is less harsh but just as unforgiving. it's nearly fifteen minutes of droning power electronics and chaotic, distorted vocals. both tracks compliment each other quite well and make this a split that will surely be on one of my year-end lists.

and, of course, I would be remiss not to mention the packaging. in addition to the translucent red cassette in a standard case with a full-color j-card, there's also a second booklet featuring a lengthy piece of prose, and the whole package comes tucked inside of a nylon knee-high stocking - definitely unique and a perfect fit, considering the subject matter.

overall, this is a great tape that any harsh noise fan would be proud to add to his or her collection. as I mentioned earlier, copies are sold out at total black, but those of you in europe (or elsewhere with a ton of money to spend on shipping) should grab one from the label while it's still in stock. and there's one copy for sale on discogs, so grab it quickly - this is one that you won't want to miss.



(for preview purposes only.)