V/A – Secret Assembly DVD
OMS Records
Here’s a hefty release that features full videos and pristine audio recordings of an epic show that was organized by Noises of Russia and recorded in the Ukraine on 16th of May, 2009. The artist sets that are included here are Deutsch Nepal, Noises of Russia, First Human Ferro, and Filivs Macrocosmi. An excellent lineup.
On all the sets the video production is top-notch using concert footage, source videos and projections to create an interesting visual collage that is set along with great sets from each …

Wolf Eyes – Always Wrong CD
Hospital Productions
I’ve been a Wolf Eyes fan since they had their first release on Sub Pop and I’ve enjoyed many of their full-lengths while shying away from some of their more limited releases. Sometimes I’ve found they offer a mixed-bag but I am often surprised by them on their larger run releases as well as their excellent live assaults that I have witnessed.
Always Wrong marks a point where Wolf Eyes is ascending to the next level of what they do. The textures and arrhythmic qualities …

Peter J Woods – Fear C20+C9+C17
FTAM
Here’s a mammoth release from Milwaukee’s infamous noisemonger Peter J Woods. Immediately noticeable is the heavy conceptual element here. With classy “artsy” photographs, card inserts, abstract poetry and strangely manipulated spoken samples mixed throughout the release it’s clear the concept is of utmost importance.
The style is similar to what PJW has explored previously, an odd mixture of noise, electroacoustic, and power electronics. Tape I Side A is a quieter piece with crinkling and off kilter audio artifacts which build to a quick noise attack right …

Husere Grav – s/t CDR
Small Doses
This is an older release that’s been lurking in my review pile for quite some time. Somehow though, I’ve always been drawn to the artwork with its grey hopeless imagery and classy handmade style.
With 11 untitled tracks and 50 minutes this is certainly a full-length and a solid release. What Husere Grav seems to specialize in is ambient/drone with a noisy edge, all guitar based. Luckily the guitar isn’t overly apparent and its treated tastefully at all times. With the opening track it is clear …

Drag Age – Mask of a Crushed Insect C12
Out-of-Body Records
Drag Age’s Mask of Crushed Insect is a heavy piece of synth drone. The sound here is mostly death industrial with very little in the high end. Not a lot of deviation from a typical death industrial/power electronics sound is done here, and at only about eleven minutes in length, Mask of a Crushed Insect doesn’t really bring anything new to the table at all.
The sound is heavy and deep all the way through. The first track breaks up the drone …

En Nihil – Pyres C40
Maniacal Hatred
En Nihil is a death industrial project that’s been around since the mid-nineties. When I first received this tape I did a double-take, finding myself curious to see if this was the project of old. With Pyres En Nihil shows that the passage of time has not dulled his skills but rather sharpened them to a hallowed point.
With 20 minutes per side there is a wealth of material and a variety of textures and passages are presented as well, yet at the same time keeping …

Pusdrainer – The Lustful Sexlife of a Perverted Nympho Housewife C32
Auris Apothecary/Audio Stag Records
So apparently Justin of Pusdrainer found an old 4 track porno audio tape and just had to destroy it as best he could. What you get here is that audio destruction tastefully packaged and presented by the always excellent Auris Apothecary.
As a package this is an impressive effort. The tape is enclosed in a ziplock bag, and wrapped in a tied-off condom which prompted me to untie it with my teeth – in hopes that it may …

Deterge – Anacoluthon C25
Anabolic Dimensions
I’m really happy to hear Deterge is back with this sick tape. For those of you who don’t know Deterge is Jim Haras also of the Chicago power electronics unit PTM.
What Deterge presents in Anacoluthon is a very unique take on power electronics adding a psychedelic edge to the sound. Vocals are generally not so up-front and distorted but distant and affected. The sound isn’t balls-to-the-wall harshness and aggression, but rather seething and flowing.
Somehow removing the aggression and over-the-top drive of more raw power electronics has …

Torturing Nurse – The Nihilism 3″CDR
Darker Days Ahead
On the start of The Nihilism the listener who is familiar with Torturing Nurse may ask if this is the same project that spews harsh noise into the faces of noise fans across the world with no regrets. But once the listener delves deep enough into the release we know this is in fact the same Torturing Nurse – or perhaps not the same, the project has proved that it has evolved quite a bit since my last exposure and The Nihilism is …

Penetration Camp/Page 27 – Blood and Black Vinyl 7″
Drug-Front Productions
Here’s a short 7″ with one quick track from each artist. These artists are rather unknown to me having only heard one other 7″ with Penetration Camp on it before.
Penetration Camp is up first with a subdued track of ambient noise. Mostly lacking in the low-end it’s a dead-air broadcast of seething noise. Things seem to get a bit louder and more active over the course of the track but that’s about the only evolution heard here.
Page 27’s track is a …