Noise Not Music #1: Avichi, Have A Nice Life And More

Welcome to the first edition of Noise Not Music on Stereoboard, a new repository for all your extreme musical needs. From black metal, to drone, to grindcore, to power electronics, this column will focus on music that exists far out into the musical wilderness. Listeners of a more circumspect nature are advised read on with caution…

New Releases

Bohren & der Club of Gore - ‘Piano Nights’ (Ipecac)

German doom jazz collective Bohren & der Club of Gore have been honing their unique sound for 20 years now. ‘Piano Nights’ isn’t exactly a departure from acclaimed records like ‘Sunset Mission’ and ‘Black Earth’, but it is probably their best record for over a decade.

This is, in true Bohren style, ultra slow and ultra minimalist. It’s the sort of record where the lack of action is the point. Rather than getting washed up in a sea of claustrophobic sound, you should listen to Bohren & der Club of Gore as a collection of distinct moments. Each note is intensified by the blank canvas that surrounds it, making every second a deceptively deep listening experience.

Alternatively, ‘Piano Nights’ is also great ambient music. It’s a dark, hearted cocoon in which the listener can truly be isolated from the cluttered world around them. Bohren have always been close to the ultimate musical separatists thanks to their idiosyncratic approach, but ‘Piano Nights’ perhaps makes it easier than ever to join them in their distant noir universe.

Avichi - ‘Catharsis Absolute’ (Profound Lore)

‘Catharsis Absolute’ is the third full-length from Andrew Markuszewski’s Avichi project (pictured). Less orthodox than its predecessors, ‘Catharsis Absolute’ is the first album on which Markuszewski (aka Aamonael​) has performed drums, but those familiar with one man black metal projects will soon realise that he is far better behind the kit than many of his contemporaries. In fact, it is his rhythm work that provides much of the grounding for what is the strongest Avichi release to date.

Perhaps what is most impressive about the Avichi sound on this record is the way it incorporates melody without slipping into some of the overused cliches of black metal today (shoegaze influences, or poorly considered symphonics).

The riffs are ferocious when they need to be, especially on the appropriately named Flames in My Eyes, but Markuszewski is not afraid to take a more subtle approach with the instruments, with the intro to the epic All Gods Fall being sonically gentler but atmospherically darker. The real highlight of the album, though, is Lightweaver, which blends frostbitten riffs with post-punk bass and keys to tremendous effect. While it may be true that ‘Catharsis Absolute’ is unlikely to win over those seeking black metal of the ultra-kvlt, lo-fi variety, fans of the genre in its open-minded, modern guise would be foolish not to seek this out.

Avichi on Bandcamp

Have A Nice Life - ‘The Unnatural World’ (Enemies List / The Flenser)

What Have A Nice Life lack in harsh sonics they certainly make up for in intensity. One of very few bands in history to have released a double album as their debut and got away with it, Have A Nice Life unleashed upon the world something fearsomely apocalyptic with ‘Deathconsciousness’ in 2008. The band’s two members, Dan Barrett and Tim Macuga, exorcised their demons in a manner so powerful that listening to it was a physically draining process.

‘The Unnatural World’ is not quite as penetrating as its predecessor, and it may be seen as disappointingly short by some fans who have been waiting patiently for six years for a new full-length, but it’s damn near perfect all the same. A suffocating collision of Jesu, Joy Division, Nine Inch Nails and Swans, Have a Nice Life are still uncomfortable to sit through at points, but at least there are a few more chinks of light visible this time around.

At first this makes the album slightly more listenable, but repeated listens reveal that the dark underbelly of this record is just as bleak as the band’s previous work. Whether it’s on the haunting Cropsey or the soul-breaking closer Emptiness Will Eat The Witch, Have A Nice Life’s compositions always have a restlessness in common that makes their music sound almost painfully human in nature. This is music of extreme feeling, and it’s utterly uncompromising in delivering emotional hurricane after emotional hurricane.

Hexis - ‘Abalam’ (Halo of Flies)

Danish troupe Hexis don’t really do subtlety, something that should be pretty clear once intro track Faciem is out of the way. This is blackened hardcore that sounds like it was made by a group of yobs with baseball bats who are desperate to kick the shit out of you.

Almost approaching power violence territory at times, ‘Abalam’ flies through its first 12 tracks in around 25 minutes, with only closer Inferis offering major staying power at a draining nine minutes. This is a record that, while short and to the point, is extremely effective and, dare I say it, enjoyable…in a misanthropic kind of way. The guitars sound huge, and sharp, the drums are dangerously solid and the vocals are as deranged as you could possibly hope. The overall result is true ferocity unchained.

‘Abalam’ is currently available for 'name your price' download from Hexis’s Bandcamp page, so head on over there and try it out right now. Being beaten up by Danes has never been more rewarding, trust me.

Hexis on Bandcamp

Compilations

Drudkh - ‘Eastern Frontier In Flames’ (Season of Mist)

Drudkh have been prolific since forming just over a decade ago, which means they can probably be excused for not having a new record quite ready yet. To keep us going in the meantime, the band have put together a compilation release to plug the gap. Five of the seven tracks here may be covers, but ‘Eastern Frontier In Flames’ makes for essential listening, both for long term Drudkh fans and newcomers to the Ukrainian group.

Opening this compilation are the two tracks from 2007’s highly limited edition ‘Anti-Urban’ EP. The first, Fallen Into Oblivion, is an instrumental that is musically indicative of Drudkh’s slightly post-rock influenced take on black metal’s sonic aesthetic, while the second, Ashes, is reminiscent of the rawer, Burzum-esque style of their debut album, ‘Forgotten Legends’. Put the two together and already a newcomer to the band should be able to get a good impression of their sonic palette.

The covers are all by Polish and Czech groups, which may be a surprise to those who are (still) convinced that black metal is almost solely the domain of Scandinavian satanists. There’s a lack of the folky flourishes that have been so integral to the Drudkh sound at points in their career, but when the band rip into hard-hitting cuts like Sacrilegium’s Recidivius and Master’s Hammer’s Indiánská Píseň Hrůzy you’ll be too lost in the captivating darkness to mind.

Manes - ‘Teeth, Toes and Other Trinkets’ (Debemur Morti)

Bringing up the rear this month are recently reunited Norwegian group Manes, who briefly dissolved in 2011. ‘Teeth, Toes and Other Trinkets’ is, ostensibly, a rarities compilation, although it’s a slightly unusual one.

The first thing anyone needs to know about Manes is that, much like their compatriots in Ulver, they started out as a black metal act before radically morphing into an avant-garde group. Under this guise, Manes have touched upon everything from downtempo electronica through jazz and hip hop, although they have always retained some elements of metal in their sound.

Nevertheless, you shouldn’t come to ‘Teeth, Toes and Other Trinkets’ expecting to be blasted off your feet by pummeling blastbeats and throat-scorching vocals. Manes are an extreme band because they refuse to conform to anything vaguely resembling expectations, rather than because they churn out blood-drenched riffs.

What should you expect? Well, a mixed bag, in short. ‘Teeth, Toes and Other Trinkets’ features a dash of excellent unheard material, a few great alternate versions of classic Manes tracks and a few seemingly randomly selected bits and bobs. The main weakness is the inconsistency on display, with a live version of Ende and a pointless remix of The Cure-All being the worst culprits. The great strength of this release, however, is that its bizarre, slightly confusing, outlook is perfectly representative of a band’s highly individual artistic philosophy, something that will hopefully win Manes a few new acolytes.

Manes on Bandcamp

That’s all for this month, then. There are tons of great releases on the way over the coming weeks so be sure to check back at the end of February for more from Noise Not Music. Until then, remember to keep things unpleasantly noisy. Adjø!

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