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

A Stream Of Random Events

A new post; a new return; a new set of starkly designed sheets as a background. There have been so many releases I need to talk about that have come out this year, and trying to catch up and get to them all would be too much of an ambitious undertaking for me at this point. But I figure I should highlight some of the real standouts of 2016 as much as I can. It's always these odd-numbered years that generally have good music being pumped out in the truckloads. Ironically, these sad, confusing times have only gotten much worse as of late, and for me I'm taking more and more solace in my days of collected angry music.
One of the best tapes of the year came out this summer under the trustworthy production of the Smash Music and Follow Me Into The Laser Eye labels. The epic 4-way split with Limbs Pin, Penis Geyser, OPS-PSF and Parasite Social. Limited to 100 copies.

The A-side kicks off with the spastic majesty of OPS-PSF. A cult noisecore band from Japan that a lot more people should know about, especially since their recent resurgence of activity. Definitely a must listen band for anyone into unhinged/cut-up noisecore. "104 Storys of Fake Adventure" is a mind-shifting, relentless collage of sounds. Some sort of movie trailer sample introduces the track, with only a few seconds of jarring, guitar and drum stabs coming in from time to time. As the piece goes on into about the 2 minute mark, it's blast off time, and OPS-PSF create a beautiful, chaotic explosion. Muddy, distorted, z-tuned guitars, clean jazz chords, stick clicks, cymbal hits, a kick drum or two; scronks, squeals, screams, all going by at the speed of light. Magnificent!!!! Limbs Bin proceeds immediately after with one of the harshest recordings the project has ever done. The usual drum machine bursts are almost completely buried under searing distortion walls and some of the hottest microphone distortion I've heard of tape all year. Everything here from the vocals to the instrumentation is manipulated and drenched in so much sonic sewage. At the same time, the textural pops and crackles that spew from all the distortion and the mastering make this track as captivating to hear as it is painful on the ear drums. Wonderful!!

The B-side opens with Parasite Social, a new band to my ears, and honestly their contribution is the least exciting part of this tape for me. Pretty standard and by the books grind/noisecore, almost bordering on gorenoise from the gutteral vocals and bass heavy, riffless guitars. The short bursts of songs come and go in a pretty linear, suitable way. It's not terrible by any means, but it lacks the distinguishable characteristics that all of the other three bands possess. Which leads us right into Penis Geyser, truly one of the USA's strongest examples of genuine noisecore garbage. And I say that with all of the best intentions. It sounds like it was recorded on a broken cassette walkman in a basement with one hanging lightbulb dangling from the a mold covered ceiling, and I love it. The tension and unpredictability of a Penis Geyser performance shines through here. You're never really sure what kind of attack you're going to get, or how long until the drums finally decide to come back and lead the band into "go time", or for how long that will even last. But I desperatly wait in anticipation for the next blast. Free music of some of the highest caliber and dedication.

The stark collage work of Alex York that covers the Jcard is interesting. I feel like I have to look very deep into it to see the real picture. It's a very wonderful presentation, I love that trademark Smash Music spine design. The tape is also dubbed very very well, everything sounds as loud and intense as it should.

I say this is definitely one of the mandatory harsh noise/noisecore releases of the year. Spend your money wisely and buy this HERE and HERE!

~VII

On The Pulse

Limbs Bin's latest release on his own label, Follow Me Into The Laser Eye, is my highly anticipated split cassette with Tacoma, WA's fastcore titans Sidetracked. A rather unusual pairing on paper, given both bands respectably different styles of fast, intense music. Paired up solely out of mutual respect and interest in each others projects, I have no doubt. Which is definitely as it should be. Sidetracked's recent flirtations with the more abstract realms (The Gaz-66 Intrusion split, the "Escape" EP) definitely had me interested in what they were going to do. And it is by far their most unusual recording to date. Focusing on one slithering guitar drone with tension releasing bursts of vocals and drums. Limbs Bin does his usual drum machine n'noise onslaught, to a staggeringly level of blurred insanity. Some of his more intense stuff for sure. Like the last Limbs Bin split I posted about on here, you can read my full review for this split on Operation Grindcore. This post here will largely be just to show off the excellent layout and art by Alex York. 

Once again, this is a fantastic looking tape. Mr. York's style really pairs will with Limbs Bin's releases. This is a professionally dubbed and printed C4 tape, with a fully printed-double sided J-card. I think it's limited to some unusual amount, like 64 copies. 

The art kinda looks like the shower scene in "Psycho" going through a fantastic 80's sci-fi movie poster filter. 

Copies of this tape are still available from Limbs Bin.

~VII

Cackhanded

Without a doubt one of my biggest obsessions and loves in the New York noise crowd is Limbs Bin. A solo power electronics/drum machine abuse punk project lead by Brooklyn resident Josh Landes. Someone I am just blessed to have met and developed a friendship with. His extreme passion and VERY broad taste in all things loud, obnoxious and electronic from PE to synth pop, has been very inspiring and just an all around joy to soak in vicariously. Through one-on-one communication or his radio show, Infinite Distortion. Of course this means Josh has been doing splits with some of the most exciting and interesting bands in the worldwide noisecore scene. The most recent crowning achievement is this gorgeous split cassette with the UK's biggest noisecore shitstorm, Two Million Tons Of Shit. Limited to 54 copies.

I've already done a full review of this tape over at Operation Grindcore, so this post will cater more towards the pretty pictures/tape porn crowd. Actual music aside (both sides are total dynamite), this is a very good looking and sounding tape. Released on what I believe is Mr. Landes's own label, Follow Me Into The Laser Eye.

Very professional work was put into this cassettes production. It has a very crisp, clean dubbing that showcases TMTOS's psychedelic racket, and Limbs Bin's expansive power electronics collage piece perfectly. Love this cover art too, it reminds me of some incredible, batshit, sci-fi propaganda movie from the 60's. Apparently 42 copies were on black covers with the remaining 12 on white.

Limbs Bin is on a seemingly never ending spree of releasing splits with all sorts of noise and grind artists and groups, and I'm positive each one will not disappoint. TMTOS are seemingly lacking any real internet presence, so I sadly have no idea what they are working on presently. This tape is seriously worth seeking out though, decalcify that pineal gland and let the noise seep into your skull.

Listen/purchase: HERE

~VII