Bliss Tech

Thanks too a few of my friends getting flexi discs released for their projects, I've grown to have a lot more appreciation for the format. I think it's because they perfectly suit my preferred amount of time for a release, one side of a 7" record. Plus they just look cool, and I'm always interested to see what people can do for their packaging. Limbs Bin was among the bunch to release a flexi this year, a strong little EP entitled "Bliss Tech". Released by Follow My Into The Laser Eye and Moon Mechination records, 33 RPM.

"Bliss Tech" is classic, brutal Limbs Bin as we know it, but at the same time this release highlights a more subdued and methodical approach in it's use of sound. The usually active and swirling modular tones are instead a slow, churning, bassy frequency that changes and moves gradually as songs begin and end. Similar to a lot of Limbs Bin's live shows. The trademark vocal and drum machine bursts sever the tension building tones in short but sweet, punk-minus-the-band style. I've always described Limbs Bin as a punk band in it's true nature. From the Infest style vocal patterns, to the introspective and personal lyrics that are pretty cryptic at times, but leave an impact. The shortest song on here, "Why Change?" is a good example of that. It's interesting reading the lyrics for "Bliss Tech" knowing the general inspiration for it. The story the lyrics paint leaves me with some open ended scenarios in my head. I really enjoy this EP, it's some of Josh's best stuff, I'm happy that other people seem to be digging it as well.

The packaging consists of one double-sided insert, one side being the art side, lyrics and info on the other. As usual, the art was all done by Limbs Bin's visual partner, Alex York. I really like the use of orange on this release, it stands out amongst the grim black and white only crowd. The flexi also managed to capture a ton of the low-end that this EP needed to have the best impact, very good production.

Copies of this can be purchased HERE!

~VII

The Leader Of The Fucking Assholes

Mr. Waves Crashing Piano Chords has been treating me very well lately. Very graciously and generously hooking me up with several exclusive editions of his latest releases. All of which I aim to post reviews about in the coming weeks, starting out with the most recent piece of output. A 5-way split flexi disc 7" with Ad Nauseum, Contraktor, MPHIAT, and Funeral Parlor. This is the black flexi edition out of 150 copies, 33 RPM.

I've known about of most of these artist's prior to this record (Funeral Parlor of course being on a previous WCPC split). A smattering of mostly unknown artists that have all been kicking it for a couple years. This split actually has a good amount of variety of styles included throughout, but all are still basically rooted in power electronics. I got to say though, given how short the amount of time all these projects are given, each one does a pretty decent job with what they have. 

Ad Nauseum's track has an excellent eerie and shrieking instrumental. Very inspired by the sounds of early Ramleh and Grunt, but with a modern vocal style. Going even rawer, WCPC gives a grindcore length microsong of his singular vocal and microphone feedback delivery. It's Waves doing Waves, it love-punches my ears still. MPHIAT and Contraktor surprised me with their tracks honestly. MPHIAT doing an absurdly high pitched, throat trashing scream over an overblown, rythmic instrumental. It's super loud and fucked up. And Contraktor close it off with probably my favorite track on the disc. Starting off with a crushing wall of distortion, slowly morphing into more feedback and vocals. It's fucking nuts, and a wonderful switch from his usual death industrial focused recordings. Funeral Parlor honestly should have closed this off though, and unfortunately he's the one who suffers from the time length the most. "Nostalgia" only consists of a simple minor-key synth riff, and while it certainly does a good job setting the tone and atmosphere it's going for, it's just too short. This more "funeral" style of keyboard work definitely requires an 8-10 minute time length to feel justified, I think. But this still would have been an excellent closer. 

For a flexi disc this is actually a pretty sturdy record. It's actually got some weight and thickness to it, which I was very surprised and delighted by. Maybe I can get more then 4 plays out of it before it starts sounding like garbage! Making up for the lack of cover art, each artist gets a small vinyl sticker that is considered packaging. If you wanna keep this baby mint, don't put those stickers anywhere, nerds. 

Pick this record up over HERE.

~VII

Archagathagorearchy

I actually acquired this today! As well as some other choice jams that I can't wait to listen to and post about. I was really hoping I would be able to add this to my collection, and Blisteredmind (search his distro on tumblr) helped me out yet again!Here is the "Archagathagorearchy EP", black flexi, single sided, 33 RPM. No idea how limited it is.

The "Archagathagorearchy EP", is a modest split between Archagathus and the brother band Violent Gorge, who share pretty much the entire band. This is, from what I can tell, a selection of live songs from their sets at the Leatherhouse venue (the only place I would ever want to play if I performed in Ohio). Archx play two of my favorite songs, "Hair Dresser" and "Fuckin' Ebola". Violent Gorge have 3 songs, and since I am honestly pretty new to the band I can't tell is these are new or not. My guess is that their not. Good stuff though! More of a pummeling, straightforward grindcore sound with a gory edge that I'm definitely in favor of. The recording isn't the best, the guitars are sometimes completely drowned out, but it's a neat gem of a record. I really dig the hell out of fun releases like this.

~VII