Being/A Snake in the Garden/Diaphragmatic – July 2012 Tour C30
Self Released
This is a seriously stacked lineup of some of the best harsh noise acts currently active in the U.S. scene today. For those most addicted noise fanatics they have also posted an epic tour video that spans many performances from this exact tour. With this tape each artist contributes a track and then they wrap it up with a massive 3-way collaboration. Quite the piece of ear candy for those with rotting teeth out there..
A Snake In The Garden is …

Body Cargo/Pogrom – Resistance CD
Terror/Cipher Productions
Here is a split with 2 collaborative tracks between these 2 power electronics artists. The theme is resistance, gorilla armies, political rebels. There’s something about when power electronics artists explore political subjects that I really enjoy.
Body Cargo is up first offering several layered tracks of harsh sounds. The tracks are quite detailed and present a traditional power electronics sound not really bringing anything new to the table but that is fine. Black Smoke Obelisks is worth commenting on because of its more ritualistic chanting qualities …

Temple of Set – Temple of Set C32
Cult of Craft
Here’s another snazzy looking release from Cult of Craft this time bringing the noisy sounds of Temple of Set, another act I am unfamiliar with. The packaging is simple yet classy with a bow holding the tape onto the heavy stock.
The sound and style of Temple of Set remind me much of Temple of Tiermes and it’s not just because they have similar names. With this self-titled tape you will get long droning tracks of distorted synth tones. The production is …

Locrian & Christoph Heemann – Locrian & Christoph Heemann CD
Handmade Birds Records
Here’s a hefty collaboration between noise’s favorite post-rock offspring Locrian and a collaborator who goes by the name Christoph Heemann. Heemann is a German composer who I am unfamiliar with yet has belonged to a number of projects and has collaborated with Current 93 and other seminal European artists.
The music presented in this self-titled collaboration is a style of post-rock experimentalism with some metal and drone influences. Comparisons include Xasthur, Tarentel, Arktau Eos, Sunn0))) and House of Low Culture …

Crown of Cerberus – Her Strength C32
Cult of Craft
Immediately leaving an impression is the handmade packaging on this excellent tape. Heavy silkscreened stock with a bow holding it all together. The presentation exudes an intimate and spiritual affair which is reflected in the warm and ethereal sounds on the album.
The music is ambient but not necessarily drony, more like moving textures and tones delaying into oblivion. It reminds me a lot of acts like Cold Electric Fire or perhaps Vidna Obmana.
Crown of Cerberus generally emanates an air of peacefulness …