Kuwahara Reviewed in Wounds of the Earth

Kuwahara - "Kandyheart Afghan"

[Waiting World Records]

Kuwahara present us with some noise/death industrial in a similar vein to Stratvm Terror, Megaptera, etc. The songs employ deep, hellish drones to provide the foundation for layers of noisey textures. Most of the songs are droning and plod along slowly, though beats present themselves occasionally. There are some cool tracks like "Order of Primitives", "Feeding Tube", and "Scum Class" that have a good, industrial-tinged, rotten sewage feel to them akin to Stratvm Terror. These pieces are dirty and atmospheric, certainly residing amongst the darkest catacombs of the ambient genre, without being overly abrasive. Despite the usual ultra repetitive nature of some death industrial, most these tracks move and shift quite a bit during their duration; there are many different sounds introduced and they don't feel repetitive or overly long.

Read the entire review here.

Much thanks to the WOTE Crew for including us in their recent reviews and for taking the time to listen when we know they stare at a monolith of other music to consider. 

Like Hemlock reviewed in Blood1000

"The amazing dark ambient sounds that comprise Atlantia are deep and bassy. Rising and falling, the track pulses with a palpable atmosphere that places you in some scary environment. The track develops very slowly, with just the occasional sound of something being moved about, scraped along the wall or being torn. A great track that is tense and forbidding." To read the entire review please visit http://blood1000.wordpress.com/2012/03/10/dan-minoza-m-peck-like-hemlock/

Serving Time In The Middle of Johnson City

A few weeks ago I found out one of my all time favorite bands EYEHATEGOD were to spread the "End Time Message" in the Hideaway in Johnson City, TN. Now, if you haven't ever been to JC, it is situated at the buckle of the bible belt. And when you see a name like EHG, you immediately conjure images of pentagrams, devil worship and all other things associated with satanism. You couldn't be further from the truth. EHG, quite simply and self proclaimed is a "post amplification blues" band, albeit marinated in a heaping dose of toxic bayou runoff.

They opened up with Take As Needed For Pain, the title track from their second full length from way back in '93. Needless to say, the Hideaway and it's 100 or so patrons went berserk making me thankful that I have health insurance as fists, legs, and bottles were flying through the air like wreckage from a Greyhound and Budweiser collision. Just like the good old days. And it never let up for the rest of the sonic sermon.

Current Rotation/Reviews

The fine folks at NPR have been so kind to post two entire full lengths of the latest albums from The Black Keys and Harvey Milk. Somehow the two go hand in hand.
"Brothers", the latest from the Akron based blues outfit The Black Keys is more than just a rehashed, second stab at Attack and Release; it's perhaps the best the band has yet to put out. Teaming up again with producer Danger Mouse, this slab of folk/rock/blues relies more on the lyrical content and arrangement than previous Black Keys releases and it shows. Each track is a stand out, there isn't a dull moment. And damnit I mean that.

On Harvey Milk's latest release ""A Small Turn of Human Kindness"shows a glimpse vulnerability and sincerity that often falls to the wayside of other bands that jumped on the Neur-Isis bandwagon a decade or so ago. It was all to predictable then, as it is now. However, Harvey Milk again seem to veer left of any traditional molds despite a tuned down predominance akin to Neurosis, Sleep or the Melvins at their slowest. There is a stark originality that they have always reeked of, perhaps that's the reason your local scene kids never 'got' them and thankfully never will.
 

DYSMHA gets a "Green" Thumbs Up

Below is an excerpt from the recent review posted by Green Records Reviews:
"The music gives the same bleak tone as the art. Two drone pieces utilizing dynamic flowing sounds, metallic in nature. Like a slow, agonizing slice from the sharpest blade imaginable."
http://greenrecordsreviews.blogspot.com/2009_08_01_archive.html

Dysmha review in Heathen Harvest

"M.Peck (also known as Michael Peck and Redfadesbeforeblue) is a composer of electronic and dark ambient soundscapes. He’s been recording music with digital synthesizer, software applications and Theremin since 2000. Already known to the electronic scene as a maestro of ominous dark ambient, he brings us Dysmha.

“Deathbed Memory” is a texture of ambient sounds woven with Theremins, guitar effects, cymbals and some truly ghost-like vocals. It has what can best be described as a monumentally glacial mood. This is definitely music to conjure up a sinister atmosphere. Howling effects ascend and descend into a wasteland of eerie sounds.

“Ghost With Conscious”, while similar in sounds has a definite industrial slant to it. My only dispute is that maybe it’s a fraction too alike, as one song seemed to end without a new one beginning. That being said, it is a cohesive piece in relation to “Deathbed Memory” with a continuation of menacing sonic journey.

A level of above par production must be mentioned. In a word, it’s flawless. M.Peck’s technical ability is about as close to perfection as a performer can come to. That perfection can lean on the side of coldness, but maybe that was the point of the compositions within themselves. After all how many of our memories are of the warm and fuzzy nature (found on the deathbed or not)? Could the specter without awareness of their thoughts and actions be those around us or our own selves? Maybe M. Peck is asking us for that answer.
http://www.HeathenHarvest.com/article.php?story=20090625142617728