Ahlzagailzehguh – Black Destinations
This is a double cassette release in a traditional but oversized cassette case that’s pretty neat really. Both tapes are rather short, and could have been a single release easily, but obviously this was done for the cool factor, and it works for me. I’ve heard good things about this project but this was my first exposure to them. Tape one side one features the track “Staring At The Floor,” a turbulent harsh noise track consisting primarily of heavy low end with feedback and higher frequencies spiking through the onslaught. There are a couple of moments of isolated crumbling sounds that I quite liked, and they provide a nice quiet before the next burst. Tape one side two features two tracks, “Catatonic Rigidity” and “Lockdown.” “Catatonic Rigidity” is another piece that is rooted in a heavy and destructive low end, but features, more bursts of analog squirms and squelches, as well as pauses where the bass elements drop away to leave the mids and his scraping and chirping alone. “Lockdown” stays more in the mid range fried and sizzled texture zone, and incorporates a more open and atmospheric base. Tape Two side one begins with “Final Façade” a mix of looping distortions and low end bursts. “Triangle Eye” is next, it has slightly more disjointed take, with layers dropping out and popping back in abruptly, solitary tones ringing out, loops emerging by themselves from the chaos and I think even some voices buried in the mix. Tape two side two holds “Cornered Response” and finally “Away From All eyes Sight,” both of which continue the active, well mixed and executed direction of the previous tracks. While this a harsh noise release, the rise and fall of that noise, the way things are isolated and consumed, and the inclusion of really gritty yet reserved moments makes for some nice flow and an intriguing release. There is a lot of energy to these tracks, and clearly some craft behind them, very nicely done. After hearing it, is too bad this didn’t come out as a CD with a proper mastering job to really accentuate all of the biting and scarred frequencies because there are some really great sounds and jagged edges here. – Scott
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