[engl] The Flying Luttenbachers’ “Shattered Dimension” is the first offering by the seminal cult band since 2007. The current New York City based version of the group on this recording features stalwart leader and primary composer Weasel Walter on drums, saxophonist Matt Nelson (GRID, Elder Ones), bass guitarist Tim Dahl (Child Abuse, Lydia Lunch) and guitarist Brandon Seabrook.

[engl] “Terror Iridescence” is the 4th full length release by the latter-day, New York City based reincarnation of the seminal Punk Jazz/No Wave/Brutal Prog unit The Flying Luttenbachers, and the 17th album since 1992. After all of this, longtime fans tend to expect notable creative twists to be pulled by the band with each release, and this one will not disappoint. This time around, our heroes have issued forth a boldly abstract haunted-house salvo of dizzying surrealism, loaded with exceptionally bizarre sonic tangents. After 2021’s blistering and compositionally dense “Negative Infinity”, FLs leader Weasel Walter decided to take another tack altogether: Instead of making another rehearsal intensive album of tightly scripted action, “Terror Iridescence” was improvised completely on the spot at Colin Marston’s Menegroth studio in Queens, New York on one day in October 2021. The individual instruments were mic’d up and then, with very little discussion, the ominous 20 –minute long “Meredyth Herold” (named after the obscure actress whose utterly jawdropping and singular performance in the 1990 perverto-noir flick “Singapore Sling” mirrors the morbid chaos of the piece) began to unfold. The main concept was to perform in reference to a click track heard only in the headphones, while Mr. Walter molded the structure in real time, cuing each player in or out and giving pointed suggestions. Once it came down to the mixing phase, it was apparent that this click track was actually an integral part of the composition and had to be included in the final mix, whereas the original idea was to mute it completely. As such, this water torture presence is a major element of continuity -an infinitely rising and falling pulse which sometimes dominates, sometimes recedes, but always reminds us of the inevitable. Beginning with a fuzz-laden bass guitar drone by Tim Dahl, the orchestration strategically morphs and deliberately ebbs and flows in a series of dramatic peaks as various elements are cued in and out. It should be noted that the drum kit and saxophone (played by Sam Ospovat and Matt Nelson, respectively) were both processed live with electronic effects in real-time by the players. What you hear on the record is often a blend of their acoustic sounds and electronic manglings, resulting in a wider, more layered density and tonal palette. It definitely sounds like there’s more than five people playing on this thing, as a result. We assure there isn’t. The guitars on the album were performed by both Weasel Walter and Katie Battistoni, reprising the caustic double-headed skronk assault heard previously on “Negative Infinity”. Is this the Luttenbachers’ DOOM album? Maybe. “Terror Iridescence” is shocking, spacious, linear, dark, sensual and unhurried, all the while maintaining the band’s signature intensity and devotion to stark modernism. Come to think of it, this thing just might evoke the overt deconstruction of 1997’s “Gods of Chaos” (released on Skin Graft) to some fans – this sure ain’t no “rock” record--It’s a cryptic transmission from another dimension. Track two of two, another 20 minute whopper named in tribute to the recently and tragically departed iconoclast, peer, supporter, and close friend of the band, “Tom Smith” begins in a ritualistic, percolating, insectoid sonic jungle landscape punctuated by varied sonic events and aural wraiths. At one point, an onslaught of shattering glass disturbs any possible hypnosis achieved during the introduction. The entire piece is more episodic overall than the preceding track and contains many sections that contrast distinctively with each other. ‘Round about 6 minutes in, a rowdy tutti fanfare of held asymmetrical tone row blasts (alluded to at the very end of “Meredyth Herold”, but blown fully wide open on “Tom Smith”) kicks everything up into a noxious assault cloud, bolstered by volcanic free drumming by Weasel Walter. After several repetitions of this dramatic series of ordered pitches (the closest this record ever gets to a traditional chord progression), a long series of jump cut sequences takes place, allowing the musicians to show off their distinctive and diverse skill sets in various groupings. There are fright-inducing guitar and saxophone solos, pounding drums, macabre electronics, and more. A very deliberate and extreme tension is maintained, but not in a clichéd “free jazz” idiom. The angular, disruptive forms created spontaneously here are brand new, yet obviously belched forth from the good ship Flying Luttenbacher. By the end, the “Terror Iridescence” tone row reappears in different forms and orders, reiterating the material for the sake of subliminal coherence. Often in The Flying Luttenbachers music, the listener may not see the exact logic in what happens, but trust us – it’s there. One might feel it more than comprehend it, and that’s okay. It is guaranteed that the next phase of the band will be something altogether different, but for now, let this bloodcurdling puzzle piece raise the hairs on your neck and make you want to pull the covers over your head. This here record is a good, old-fashioned horror movie in sound. They’re coming to get you, Baaaa-barahhhhhh!!!!

[engl] Super tight noiserock in the spirit of all the Touch & Go legends

[engl] Described by Kevin Rutmanis as 'tasty, tasteful, and undeniably sexy,' Gaswar's self-titled debut album is set to ignite the music scene. Comprising the formidable talents of Apollo Liftoff and Jeff Mooridian, both members of the notorious Minneapolis band, Hammerhead, Gaswar kicks off an exciting inception in their musical venture. The musical journey began with a fateful encounter between Rutmanis and his future bandmates. “Cows played a show with Hammerhead sometime in late 80s or early 90s at The Uptown Bar in Minneapolis...” – explains Kevin reflecting on those early days. “It was one of the only times Shannon (singer for the Cows) told me I'd better go check out the opening band because they were so good!”. By the late '90s, with both Cows and Hammerhead on hiatus, these three artists joined forces to create what would become the debut release of Gaswar. Rutmanis reminisces about their creative process, saying: "There was a basement we could rehearse in during the brutally cold Minnesota winter. We all played pretty much all the time, and were in each other's company most of the time. It was only natural to combine these two activities." More than two decades after its initial recording, Gaswar's debut album offers a collection of songs that unite three trailblazing artists in an intense and occasionally dissonant musical journey. “To me nothing is more comprehensive and complex for the mind than playing music.” – reflects Jeff Mooridan aptly revealing the nature of their creativity. “Yet, you're often engaging with the primal to say a whole litany of things in the briefest amount of time.” Recording their debut ‘Girl Vanishes on way to Jive Club’ in 1999 with Mike Wisti, the different members of Gaswar drifted apart working on their other projects. Rutmanis recalls: “The LP drifted off into space. As we got busy with Vaz, The Melvins ( and later, with Tomahawk).” – explains Kevin: “I heard it again a few months ago via random shuffle and remembered how much I liked it. The boys encouraged me to go ahead and wrap it up. Did some vocals, added a little guitar here, a few scratches there, some drums from Jeff… ran it by everybody for a final OK.” Their relentless debut explores the essence of musical expression, naturally stemming from the human spirit's transgressive nature. “Music should start with the blood, if nothing else,” remarks Jeff Mooridian. “Simple, instinctive, probably even chaotic. You can refine and redefine it, transforming music into a progressively stranger experience.” The artists share a profound curiosity and love for music, fueling their boundless creativity. Beneath the alluring surface lies an invitation, drawing the audience into its sonic depths limited to 300 copies

[engl] Excellent return from the pioneers of the Croatian noise-rock scene after a longer discography pause. Started way back at the beginning of the nineties, Ha Det Bra was at the forefront of the genre. Sharp, original, loud, distorted and without compromise to themselves and others. Their live shows are pretty intense and wrecking in every aspect. So much emotions delivered through microphone and amps that is 'a must' to be experienced. Imagine a roller coaster with no intention of stopping anytime soon. The album comes as a breath of fresh air at the right time. Packed in a beautiful gatefold with art by very talented man Tomislav Torjanac it is truly an eye feast. For fans of Jesus Lizard, Shellac and Unsane.

[engl] Face-crushing guitars, head-pounding drums, bass so low you'll vacate your bowels, and vocals so scorching, so extreme, they simply can't be human! They're not. This death metal outfit with a parrot for a singer makes trashes the pathetic bird feeder you call the metal underground! That's correct, a parrot for a singer, savaging you with feathers of razored steel! Try as one might, they will not escape the claw; nothing can dodge the talons of hate!! These tracks are an ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY beak in the ass of all things sacred in the underground. The holiest shrines of metal and hardcore seriousness are duly trashed, burned, laid to waste, smeared in Avian excrement. The pecking order has been established! This monolithic release, which is beautifully mastered by Scott Hull (Pig Destroyer, Agoraphobic Nosebleed) will be issued on CD, cassette, as well as limited vinyl runs. Featuring a stunning cover by artist Stephen Kasner, one side of the vinyl collects all of Hatebeak’s long out-of-print EP’s from 2004-2007 while the other side features six never released songs, the first new avian-metal to surface in eight years! During their initial existence, they were a studio project shrouded in mystery. In recent years it has become public knowledge that Hatebeak was the brainchild of Blake Harrison (who is now in Pig Destroyer) with Mark Sloan (The Index), occasional bass by Vincent Saulsbury, and inimitable vocals by Waldo, a 21 year old African Grey Parrot. The first Hatebeak recording was "Beak Of Putrefaction" on Reptilian Records (a split with Longmont Potion Castle). The band's logo was a parody of the Hatebreed logo, and the single cover was a blatant rip-off of Judas Priest's “Screaming for Vengeance”, which quickly earned a cease and desist order and was re-issued with Waldo obscuring most of the original picture.The public reception quickly went from metal underground oddity to national news as programs like The Howard Stern Show and outlets like The A.V. Club covered the band. Their follow up single lambasted the band NILE and was a split release with NYC band CANINUS (fronted by two pit bulls), and their third and final release was a split single with BIRDFLESH on Relapse Records. Refusing to perform publicly for fear of traumatizing Waldo, the human members went on to other projects while Waldo went on to do album reviews for Decibel Magazine, so Hatebeak went underground until NOW.

[engl] "Here is not copied at all, no - here genre boundaries are blown up effortlessly. By limiting to only two instruments (bass and drums) and two singers, the maximum of power is generated here with seemingly simple means. Sophisticated riffs and arrangements give this production the unique Heckspoiler sound. Straight from the heart - choruses merge with uncompromising hardness and drama. The irrepressible presence of the two musicians is captured in the best possible way. "

[engl] Out of Aferica and passing once again through the Reptilian immigration department. Shannon Selberg’s entirely reconfigured, revamped Heroine Sheiks have lab tested 11 factory fresh, fully assembled, tuned and torqued songs – not ideas for songs, not experimental keyboard games – but nothing shy of his finest body of work since the Cows seminal Sexy Pee Story, if not better. The new line-up subverts its four on the floor rock sensibilities, using active riff age and rhythm, but fucking it up just the right amount. Shannon’s vaudevillian creep show has never been this well utilized, showing the amount of restraint and excess at the right times in exploring his menagerie of hard luck characters. Age and musical maturity have chiseled away the unnecessary parts of the persona, gone is the drawn-on mustache of shock and in its place the true five o’clock shadow of the narrative mindfuck. The album begins with the subdued darkness of “Stabbed by an Angel” into the Flipper and Fang brain-screw of “Cock Asia”, setting the tone for much of the record – heavy-handed guitar work, perfectly placed bugle and keyboard flourishes, and Shannon’s slippery, alley-cat vocals. The upbeat “Break Up” introduces a three person (but just one Shannon) conversation of weird-ass romantic problems, “Brooklyntown Romeo” unfolds with another raw storyline. “Jaws of Life” is as dank as anything from the first Unsane record. “The Obscenery” is Shannon channeling mid-70’s Lou Reed quite well, singing – yep, singing – over a slowly unfolding piano line. Selberg rarely gets the lyrical credit he deserves, with each song unpeeling like a cracked-up, narrative orange peel of seedy life. The kinda folks you meet late at night in poorly lit, smoky rooms, the kind of places Selberg’s spent the last twenty years, unrepentantly.

[engl] Hoaries are an accomplished group of self-professed gray-hairs plying their goods in the noise rock arena to which there should be no mystery when you stop and consider they exist as somewhat a continuation of the late, great Denton, TX outfit, White Drugs (Amphetamine Reptile). Though unquestionable peers of other sovereign noise rock contempos the likes of METZ and so forth, I for one give HOARIES the creative edge. Their shape-shifting rebukes warp and bend the sonic panorama like no other; they drain the Tin Man’s oil can and take that blood to lube all the rusty gates in the ‘hood, they do, they do. At times the sound of a pair of high-functioning alcoholic plumbers swinging over-large industrial wrenches at one another within a careening bouncy house. Belligerently mid-tempo bulbousness that’ll knock your nose out of joint yet still manage to dish some hooks that you will find hard to shake. For fuck sake, they even manage to make a SADÉ cover work—strange choice, strange doings. Go figure. - Peter Davis, Your Flesh Magazine After a series of singles, a brief tour and a split 10"ep, the "pandemic" gave the band time to fully develop the new material and to reach their final form with Jeff Helland (White Drugs) leading the way on vocals and guitar, the perfect pairing with Christian Breit on second guitar (also of White Drugs), new bass warrior Bobby Weaver (from The Paper Chase on Kill Rock Stars) and Clay Stinnett (Boom Boom Box, Ghost Car) still in the drummer's seat propelling the songs forward. Featuring a bone-rattling mix by Matthew Barnhart (METZ, Superchunk), this debut full length feels more like a record from a band that has been around the block and thru the alley a few times already!

[engl] INTENSIVE CARE is the phoenix from the ashes of COLUMN OF HEAVEN, a band we all loved and few understood. Bright and angry. Don't relax and think this will be any easier for you to figure. Pure bitterness, cynicism and furor here. The amount of idiocy in the world is confounding. Let this reset your barometer. Art by Jonathan Bauerle. 500 copies on black vinyl. Thank you.

[engl] Bonkers hardcore/noise rock from Connecticut filled with snot, vitriol, and contempt. Soaked in sweat, alcohol, and likely some other substances, Maniacal vocals with a post-hardcore groove. "Sometimes in life you come across a band or a song or an album and wonder: what the fuck was I doing in my life up until this point that I’ve not yet come across this. In addition to heart-wrenching retroactive FOMO, you’ll likely feel a strong sense of betrayal. How could someone not have referred me to this? You people call yourself friends?... ...The music itself is a beautiful custom blend of noise, hardcore, and punk. Though (vocalist) Tarek claims to hate writing them, his lyrics are fantastic. A targeted, brilliant wordsmith I aspire to someday match in skill. In listening I’m reminded of Pissed Jeans, Infinity Land, and fan-favorite, Chat Pile. Of the band's writing process I’m told “one of us will just come up with a dope ass riff and just ride off of it.” - Abbie Bateman, NoEcho.net

[engl] It’s Everyone Else will shatter your preconceptions about electronic music. This male/female duo from Slovenia create a merciless mix of alternative, industrial and noise using nothing but synths, samplers and vocals. Their piercing effects cut through distorted bass lines and huge electronic drums, culminating in cathartic live performances that will leave you gasping for air.