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.)

an innocent young throat-cutter - no one heard the scream.

An Innocent Young Throat-Cutter - No One Heard The Scream

30:36

57.1 MB

1. Storm Murders

2. I'll Be Coming For You

unforgiving, unrelenting walls.

none of this should be surprising - ramirez and renzoni are masters of the genre and this is another worthy addition to their respective discographies.

nothing more to add, other than the excellent (as usual) artwork and layout from brett over at total black.

sold out from the label, keep an eye on discogs for used copies.




(for preview purposes only.)

unusual affairs - allure.

Unusual Affairs - Allure

9:48

18.39 MB

1. Backseat Sleeper

2. Laisse Tomber Les Pieds

so, the latest total black tapes took a while to reach me due to some colossal screw-ups by USPS.

they're the worst.

but now that they're finally in hand, here's a short-but-sweet release from unusual affairs. I fully intended to post their previous total black release, hooded remains, but it was put up for sale and streaming on their bandcamp page, so I held off.

this new one is a short release that still manages to pack a great punch - dialogue samples kick off each track before launching into brutal, multi-textured walls.

sometimes I think I can hear vocals buried in there, but it might just be my ears playing tricks on me...

nevertheless, this release is sold out from the source but copies are available on discogs. be sure to stop by the unusual affairs bandcamp page to throw a little money their way - I'm sure they'll appreciate it.

and, as always, support total black.




(for preview purposes only.)

nerium oleander - declination.

Nerium Oleander - Declination

14:00

26.97 MB

1. I

2. II

3. III

4. IV

5. V

it always fills me with nervous excitement when I find a brand new label that's just getting started, watching the artist or artists involved trying to nail down an aural esthetic, a visual aesthetic, solid design, customer service...everything that goes into running a label.

so when all of those things line up perfectly right off the bat, it's tough to know what to say...but instead of overthinking it, let's just let the music speak for itself, right?

this is the very first release from valentine sinclair's brand new clandestine compositions label and it's right up our collective alleys - raw black metal with a healthy dose of atmospherics to temper the fury. it's all very cold and bleak and all those other adjectives we love so much.

if you like what you hear, grab both this one and the other release that's currently up for sale.

excellent music, excellent aesthetic, and excellent customer service. nothing makes me happier - can't wait to see what comes next.




(buy a copy from clandestine compositions.)


(for preview purposes only.)

elisha morningstar - inner wealth.

Elisha Morningstar - Inner Wealth

39:23

75.37 MB

1. Farewell (To Me)

2. Treasure (Per Pietro E Reginella)

3. Salerno

4. Repeating Is Truth

coming courtesy of brave mysteries, that colorful cover belies the fact that this is some pretty droning noise. but having released material on recent compilations from a dear girl called wendy and george proctor's turgid animal, that shouldn't come as a huge surprise.

elisha morningstar is a project from francesco tignola and specializes in synth-accented harsh drones. some of it gets pretty noisy, but in a way that I don't hear very frequently.

I'm not sure if that makes sense, but check it out and see for yourselves....I happen to find it interesting - very hypnotic and strangely soothing. copies are still available from brave mysteries via the link below.

and, as always, check out everything else brave mysteries has in stock, including releases from burial hex and kinit her.




(buy a copy from brave mysteries.)


(for preview purposes only.)