Album Description

This is the long awaited follow-up to the classic underground Soundgarden side project, "Hater", which debuted in 1994 on A&M. "The 2nd" exemplifies a barrage of dark, psychedelic rock songs that expands on the sound of the debut using studio experimentation reminiscent of Arthur Lee, The Pretty Things, and Eno. Hater is made up of members of Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Mark Lanegan Band, Well Water Conspiracy, Monster Magnet, Brotherhood Of The Electric, Devil Head, Ministry, and Red Dress. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

ben shepherd is back (finally)
well, it took ten years for this album to surface, but hater is back and ben shepherd finally returns to the scene from whichever rock he was hiding under.gaining a certain amount of fame and creative respect through his bass work with soundgarden, ben shepherd is the crazy genius/hermit that is just not heard from enough.Hater is a worthy vehicle for shepherd to make his return with, and this album is more focused and far better sounding than their first record (which i still cannot believe was released by a major label).their first wasn't exactly a masterpiece, it was a spontaneous and quirky collection of bizarre pop songs, but it did have it's own classicness that still stands up today and "the 2nd" extends the mood even further.the tunes on the new one are more thought out, better executed, and beautifully recorded and mixed.ben shepherd's vision of a pop song never ceases to amaze me, it's so left of center it's hilarious... and when his voice hits an off note, it's not by accident... it sounds just the way he wants it.i was sad to see that ben's INCREDIBLE bass skills were absent from the record (he covers all vocal and guitar duties), but alan davis is more than capable in laying down a groove with legendary drummer matt cameron andthere is a definete layer of skill backing the simplicity of the songs.shepherd at times sounds like beggar's banquet-era mick jagger reincarnated as a 1977 snot-nosed punk, and once you crack into this record, shepherd's "so-bad-it's-great" lyrics sound f**king fantastic.

and that's the biggest thing about "the 2nd".there was a bit of codebreaking needed for me to get into it.i casually scanned through the tracks on the way to work and didn't really hear anything too groundbreaking or even very interesting.but i threw it on at night, smoked a bit, put on the headphones, and let ben shepherd and co bring me on a strange little ride.once you are in, you stay in, and the album is great.

hater "the 2nd" isn't the greatest rock record ever recorded.not even close.but it's solid, and fun, and dark, and weird.if radio were cool, maybe hater would get some radioplay.maybe if the rock gods were behind the band, they would give hater a gig touring with Queens of the stone age and the eagles of death metal and turn some cool kids onto this obscure yet classic little weird-o band.


i'm not sure if hater will ever put out a third album.maybe they shouldn't.i dunno.but i do hope to hear a record from ben shepherd sometime before 2015.he's one of my alltime favorite artists (his soundgarden songs were among their best) and have total respect for everything he does.buy this and get into it.it's good.

Phenominal
I was very excited to see that a new HATER album was released.Since the fisrt and only previous album was released back in 1994, I thought that the side project from the Soundgarden members had become permanetly defunct.Anyone that enjoyed the first HATER album will also love this second album.I highly reccomend it, this is an excellent album. Any fan of the Seattle music scene and especially Soundgarden, this HATER album along with the first one - are must haves for the collection.

-Crawdaddy

... Read more

Amazon.com

On Vision Creation Newsun, the Boredoms continue to pursue the phoenixlike transformation first revealed on 1998's Super Ae, rising from rock's modern primitives to become elemental prog-mired magi. This nine-track song cycle features symbols for titles. The 13-minute opening track is an epic paean to new-eon sun worship that centers on a circular rock riff, a firestorm of free-form tribal drums, and snatches of Beach Boys-style vocal harmonies that burn out in a haze of sweeping analogue synths. It sets the tone for what is to follow. Successive tracks bleed blissfully into one another, an ebb and flow of elemental energy riding successive waves of distortion and clear blue sound. Time signatures are perverted with phase and delay. Like the movement of a tape loop around the spools, the slack is reined into a tight merciless groove backing lunar chants and solar madrigals. So expansive it literally defies description, Vision Creation Newsun provides an infinitely rewarding listening experience. --Chris Campion ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Boredoms at their best as always!!
If you have been listening to the Boredoms for a long time, you know that just about everything they do is great! This album is a wonderful example. It has a powerful overall sound with very percussive drum work, thick guitar and bass sound with a mix of good melodies, lots of psychadelic sounding electronics, samples, and wonderful production overall to give this album such a unique sound! The first song is a very tribal, energetic song filled with percussion and vocalist "Eye" and the rest of the band chanting "VISION!, CREATION!, NEWSUN!" A great way to start out a album! The song is about 14 minutes long and the rest of the songs average about 6,7 minutes each and are very hipnotic, trance like, powerful, and filled with energy!! The Boredoms are evolving! Every album they have put out, is unique and different in its own way, which of course makes this band one of a kind. If you are a fan of the Boredoms, don't miss out on this one! It's just as cool as their older stuff like "Chocolate Synthesizer" which is my favorite! If you haven't listened to the Boredoms before, grab anyone of their albums. They won't let you down! GO BOREDOMS!!

it's a goner
If you've never heard this album or Super Ae, there's a whole universe of music you are still unaware of. Vision Creation Newsun takes the direction set by Super Ae and modifies it, making music that reminds me of Haitian tribal dances where voodoo loas are sucked into a trance and possessed by their gods. Kind of like that, but electrical. For those of you who feel you have heard just about everything, this will take that notion and sacrifice it on an altar of sonic assault.

Not as good as Super AE, but worth the purchase
Nothing much to say here, it's just Super AE with more drumming. Same type of album though, and also very good.

the angel of the abyss reveals her beautiful face
In essence this is a sixty-seven minute and 43 second-long pagan religious ceremony, held on an alien planet, performed by metahumans who may or may not have been descended from earthlings. At least that's what it sounds like.

You could get picky and specific, and say, yes, they've been listening to Amon Duul II, Can, and early Ash Ra Tempel, but there's a fearlessness to this that makes the Boredoms more spiritual contemporaries of these bands than mere imitators. The Boredoms are no longer interested in breaking things or rattling walls; they've already done that. The Boredoms want Heaven and they want it Now, and if they cannot enter it they will create it by sheer will.

It's hard to describe this kind of music. "Vision Creation Newsun" is an Experience in a high sense. It is Magick. There is focus and intent, and that intent is pure transcendence. The best way to experience "Vision Creation Newsun" is to sit down in front of your stereo and commit yourself to it completely, just throw yourself into the dazzling, dizzying alternate universe of sound that they present. You will soon understand why there are no titles. The music does not need titles. It just *is*. That is all you need to know.

hypnotic
a hypnotic brew of tribal beats and psychadelia. don't expect to do anything but be entranced by this unique world of sound for sixty minutes - trippy polyrhythmic drums awash in guitars, birds, and surprisingly memorable jagged traces of melody. vision creation newsun. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

No goi ooh ooh aaah yakakakakakak!
In the late 60's and early 70's, Warner Bros. were very bold in the type of music they unleashed to the public. That returned in 1991 when The Boredoms were signed to Warner Bros. and released the masterpiece known as POP TATARI. It contained all of the Boredoms trademarks: screaming, loud distortion, weird electronics, screaming, chanting, screaming, sound effects, feedback, and believe it or not, some screaming. Inbetween this you might hear some folk, ska, grunge, and in "Cory & The Mandara Suicide Pyramid Action Or Gas Satori", some actual R&B interpreted by Eye Yamatsuka and friends.

Yes, what they create in the studio and on stage is insane, but this is why they are loved and admired. How this got on Warner Bros. I'll never now, but whoever came up with the idea was/is a genius.

Pop Art Splatter Punk
Let me get this out of the way:this is a masterpiece.Yes.I said it.It will annoy all but 10 people in the world(and those 10 don't even listen to it anymore),but is an art punk masterpiece nonetheless.

This is the sound of ADD afflicted Japanese punks throwing all their favorite sounds(punk,world music,70's era R&B/funk,psycherock ,etc.)into a blender,grinding it up and trying to splice it back together while watching a Looney Tunes marathon from the comfort of their padded cells.

You either get this,or you dismiss it with a condescending sneer.Words do not do justice to the insanity on display here,this is like Jackson Pollock making love to Robert Williams.Yeah,it's art honey.Low brow,scum pop art.Once again a small group of Japanese sonic terrorizers churn out a dizzying array of colorful sounds played more truly,if trashy,then their Western peers.And once again,WITHOUT the stink of self importance that stifles so many.

Possibly the best Boredoms out there...
Great album... A lot more punk than there newer stuff but it's all intelligently put together... This band is not to be missed live - that's for sure... Great vocals - he he he...

BOOOOOOOORRRRREEEEEE!!!!!!!!!
The Boredoms make music like nobody has before or since. Musical styles on this album run the gamut from funky and laid back to punkish and noisy. Music beyond all human comprehension.....go for it.

Cult Of The Kebab
At first the kebab was revered in society. A religion was slowly created to worship and heap praise on this culinary delight. A secret organisation formed to deal with the religious duties involved. They were, in effect, the high priests of the kebab. Even a governing body was created to deal with any dilemas. It still exists to this day. The 'Council Of The Kebab' is the governing element of the 'Cult Of The Kebab'. The 'Council Of The Kebab' is made up 'Master's Of The Kebab' and "Lord Of The Kebabs'. These people are elected into office, and choose the laws and regulations which maintain the peace and whatnot. Once a law or idea has been formulated it is put for before all members (except 'Kebab Supplicants') to decide. However, over the years, the people forgot about their duties to the kebab and soon only the secret organisation carried on the memory of the kebab. For years they tried to spread the kebab religion around but to no avail. You see, it was a secret organization, so secret, that the common folk did not know that they existed and subsequently secret refused to secret listen secret secret. Time passed. Soon the kebab religion changed. The remaining members of the 'Cult Of The Kebab' no longer simply worshipped the kebab, they now sought to become one with the kebab and dance with it in the cosmos eventually becoming its master. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Boredoms are a notorious Japanese rock group with an over-the-top, in-your-face artistic approach that is both ferocious and awe-inspiring. On its 10th full-length album, the Osaka-based ensemble exudes a sonic collage of trance-inducing drones, power-chord riffs, and enthusiastic jamming. While hyperkinetic frontman Yamatska Eye leads the Boredoms through seven extremely long compositions, this disc is rarely boring. On the opening song, "Super You," they embrace traditional rock structures with galloping drums and reverberating guitars that eventually melt into tribal-like chants and surreal studio effects. By combining their high-energy approach with sophisticated recording techniques, the Boredoms create a psychedelic milieu that celebrates unorthodox musicianship, instrumental excess, and raw energy. This is aggressive, contemporary rock music without the pretentious trappings of heavy metal or punk. --Mitch Meyers ... Read more

Reviews (14)

A Treat for those who Get It
When I first heard Boredoms'Super AE I was left a bit wanting."Was that it?"I thought.Where were the crazy screams,the herky jerky time changes,the blending and vivisection of musical genres?It took quite awhile for me to "get it".And now I understand.Many would scoff at the idea,and many still do,but the Boredoms were evolving.Despite the fact that their previous albums had more ideas and creative energy than dozens of bands these days,they had even more to prove-they were NOT a one trick pony.

Boredoms' may have lost a few people with this album,but even worse are the people they didn't REACH with this beautiful energy.Anyone who is shocked that Boredom's have entered into psychedelic territory obviously don't know the band's history.

To sum up this album,the first track is basically a musical joke,a bombastic rock intro that never gets past the intro due to tape manipulation.The 2nd track starts out with harmonizing vocals and waves of synth before a brief call and response tribal drum break that leads into a crashing rhythmic marathon.No vocals over the top,just pure energy.

Super Going,the next song,has basically 2 chords stretched out for almost the entire duration of this almost 10 minute tribal dance.I give the album 5 stars for just THIS song I love it so much.Just pure brilliant psyche energy,which gets kicked up further notches after some cd skipping.There is but one song on here that has the old Bore jumpcut/scream style,and even that one ends up in a psychedelic groove.

This was an unexpected transition.Sure,they could have done Pop Tatari part2,part3,forever,but they didn't.Chanting has taken the place of screams,repetition has taken over stop/start jump cut genre hopping,but the manic energy is still there.

To paraphrase another review,which superbly sums up my feelings of Super Going-"the question is not when it's going to end,but why?"

Kraut-Osaka Psychomeltdown!
Most people associate The Boredoms' music with their more ill-behaved earlier albums, such as 'Pop Tatari' or 'Soul Discharge'. And while there's been some refinement in eYe and Co.'s musical assault since those earlier efforts, the leap here is on a quantum order. "Super ae", while it still has some of the less-housebroken musical tendencies of those early albums, is a very different sound for Osaka's most troublesome band. Mystically-driven chants and psychedelic drone-rock sounds are in effect here, and the outcome owes less to punk than to some of the truly great early Krautrock efforts, such as Amon Duul (both versions), The Cosmic Jokers, early Guru Guru, or similarly-cosmic heavy efforts by Hawkwind et al. Not to say that what's going on here is derivative, mind you; there's spots here where things get _genuinely_ bizarre, such as sampler-loops being carved rudely out of running riffs, then pitchshifting abruptly in weird directions, strange stuttery edits, and so forth. If anything, it's what might be called a 'maturing' of The Boredoms' music, as they leap forward from the havoc of their first efforts (as well as the prior efforts by eYe under the Hanatarash name) to a spiritual, psychedelic sound that could be considered some of the finest of its kind.

Fearless Experimentalism
This music is totally wigged-out. The first few tracks act as an extended overture with hyper tape manipulation and bizarre sonic shenanigans. Fascinatingly weird, this entire album would probably sound just as great played backwards - and that's meant to be a compliment albeit a strange one.

This music is often surprizing and exhilerating as it shuns conventional forms. The Boredoms do rock out in places, but never long enough or in any way that allows you to get comfortable with it. As weird as this music is, I find it strangely uplifting and carefree.

Epic!
This album embodies everything that's great about the boredoms. The perfect mix of rock and electronics. Eye's work in incredible. DEFINETLY RECOMMENDED

(If you are considering Vision Creation Newsun and Super AE, go for Super AE)

Sonic Rumblings Abound from Japan
This takes sonic 'walls of sound' to another level, somewhere in between shoegazing feedback and industrial eruption blasts, along with carefully placed Merzbow-like noise. Although not lost in this sea of sonic rumblings is some musical-sense, eg, conventional structures like guitar riffs and melodic vocals/chants. 'Super Ae' almost elevates art onto another plane, where work created from human hands becomes fused with something living and breathing, almost becoming organic and natural. I was unprepared for the intense fierceness and power of this CD, as well as discovering that if one looks hard enough...there is natural beauty in chaos. ... Read more

Album Description

No wave without the self-conscious pretension, avant gardecomposition compressed into one-minute-or-less bursts,urgency, intricate destruction, pure glorious abandon.Melt-Banana play the same way that Repulsion, Naked City,The Ruins or The Boredoms all make you want to scream anddance and kill your neighbors. A-Zap. 2003. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Best release yet
Complex, amazing musically, vocally, lyrically.
Incredible.
Only complaint is that theres only 8 real vocal tracks, number 10 is just a really long filler song.
The band has definetley matured, for the better. I hope for many more albums.

ummmmm..............ok.
i dont get it. people put this band in the same sentence as the dillenger escape plan? why, i dont know. this is college rock crap. every day people across the world pump out the same stuff and claim to be making something original. not only is it bad musically, its just plain annoying. save your pesos, hombre.

More accessible, just as unique
In many ways, this CD is quite a departure from what came before. This is definitely Melt-Banana's most accessible CD, but I don't think that's a bad thing. The songs are longer, the intro and outro cuts are atmospheric, and the second-last cut is practically a real commercial song (I have to say that I don't care for it). But in between, it's still Melt-Banana. I like this CD a lot and I really wish Melt-Banana's current tour was passing through Denver because I am sure that others are correct when they say Melt-Banana must be seen live to be truly appreciated.

ThrashPop of the Future.
Cellscape is a leap into the future,a peek at what GOOD pop music could be.The album is sandwhiched between 2 short electronica soundscapes.Compared to past albums,Cellscape is not as abrasive or raw.In fact,it is a progression for the band,there is less cutup noisy experiments,each song here has it's own identity and is well thought out.I say ThrashPop in the title of my review because this album has definite elements of pop.It's like hardcore punk/thrash blindsided by catchy as hell melodies,but of course we aren't talking the MTV style pop/punk so popular these days.Singer Yasuko coud leave Agata's insane guitar scrambling(or tame it)and create a new wave pop sound if she wanted to.The album is recorded well,the guitars are streamlined and Yasuko's melodies are front and center.Yasuko actually does a bit of straight singing on here,in addition to yelping in what I think is her most high pitched style yet.Word is they used a drum machine this time around,but it's not that distracting.Of course the adage with Melt Banana is still true,none of their albums can capture how pulverizing and heavy they are in a live context. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Awesome album
This is the only chrome album you need. this is very unfortunate, because it's such a good album, you're gonna be tempted to try to buy another chrome record, you'll think "i know what that guy said, but come on the other albums have to be worth something..."no they don't. This is a great example of a band reaching a very early pinnacle and plummeting from it into the abyss of crappy heavy metal ripoffs. About the album itself, sure kraut rock does this same stuff a few years earlier, but come on...isn't fist full of dollars the same plot as yojimbo? the fact that they are compared to faust and amon dull shows how few people where doing this amount of psychedelic mindmessing back then. this album rocks your socks off and dissects your brain. ignore the bozo who complains about the crappy drumset. if you're looking at this you like punk rock/kraut rock (something out of the ordinary), whatever. leave the people with the 4000 dollar instruments at the music store, let them have there 5.1 audio bs, you could play this on a one speaker fried casio boombox and it would still sound good.

Interesting? Maybe. Listenable? Well...
I've had this one for a number of years. I know I'm supposed to like it, I certainly love Rocket from the Tombs that was recommended beside it when I looked it up today. This has never caught on with me. For atmospheric records from the 70s give me the early German stuff that this seems to reference. Try the first couple of Ash Ra Tempel albums, or even better Phallus Dei or Yeti by Amon Duul II. Even those however won't contain any recognizable "tunes" so be forewarned.

Future shock
Listening to this makes me think of Mad Max -- stay with me on this one -- both are low-budget, crudely produced, somewhat dated, but still compelling visions of the future from the late '70's. Believe the other reviews as to how good this is -- this is not just amazing music, but seminal, and way ahead of its time, boldly kicking real rock music into the space/computer age. Granted, there had been earlier future-shock groups (especially in the Kraut-rock movement), but Chrome was the first to really ROCK. But let me emphasize, this is seriously crude. It sounds like the drummer, Damon Edge, was playing on a pawn shop drum kit that hadn't had its heads changed since the 60's, and the whole thing sounds like it was recorded in a basement, which I suppose it was. But then, maybe that crude D.I.Y. cyber-punk quality has a subversive charm. Come to think of it, this would have made good soundtrack music for Mad Max.

Essential reissues
An excellent twofer containing the second and third Chrome albums from '78/'79, this is an essential purchase for anyone craving more experimental rock stylings. Originally formed prior to the punk boom of '76, the San Fran duo of Helios Creed and Damon Edge really found their feet with these two classics, and unfortunately never hit the same peak in their subsequent careers (though late '80s/early '90s Creed recordings are well worth checking out). Featuring a mix of sci-fi rhetoric/paranoia, screeching, primitive electronics, recorded-in-a-basement noodlings, and touches of krautrock (can, faust, neu, amon duul 1, etc.), hendrix and the stooges, this collection of songs work brilliantly on two levels: as an example of pure, indiluted experimentalism brimming with ideas; and as some of the best "rock" songs - riffs 'n' all - ever written. Got this reissue when it first came out in 1990 and STILL play the thing more often than I'd care to admit. Fans of krautrock, Residents, Nurse With Wound take note...

This CD is very addicting.
When I got this CD, it never left my cd player. Some of the songs start out with a bunch of noise, but then they really start rockin'. The singing on Abstract Nympo is so haunting I almost wet my pants when I first heard it. SS Cygni is another really good song. I no longer listen to any other music, because of this wonderous CD. Thank you Chrome, you guys are great. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

woo hoo!
Simply amazing, awe-inspiring, and just plain fun! The boredoms have probably the most energetic music i have ever heard in my life. This album is ideal for those of you who are looking to expand your musical horizons. Super, super stuff...definitely going in my hall of fame!

Super Bore
No review could possibly do this one any amount of justice it deserves... the opening few snippets could nearly bring a tear to my eye with it's supreme absurdity. I love these guys (and girl). It culminates each and every possible style of music, from jewish chants (I guess that's the sound on 4:29 in "Turn Table Boredoms") to noise, to surf music, jazz, lounge and punk... they happily lifted all stops and boundaries, shooting through the gates of creativity at lightening-fast speed. I could name certain cranial pleasers like "Now Dom Go Synthesizer Way (Why?)" and "Shock City", but in (un)reality, each song is an adventure unto itself. "B For Boredoms" is a party anthem that never was. "Anarchy In The UKK" ends with more screaming than a horde of rabid chihuahuas. "Smoke 7" takes you on a ride through the Metro in a bullet train; and "Tomato Synthesizer" is just plain weird. Oh, and they don't have any lyrics... mostly gibberish and vocal sounds by frontman Eye. This release will echo genious for ages to come. Get this, you scummy maggot, or I'll have you for breakfast.

whoa...
this totally blew me away, the first i heard of the boredoms was from super (are) and i was hooked, this was the second album i have bought of theirs and it is twice as good as super (are) at least in my opinion, they are an amazing band and this album will uhh, do something good to you, p.s. you must listen to this album at the maximum volume, if your ears hurt put some cotton in um.. but for god sakes turn it up!#@#$!

my favorite album
This is my favorite album from my favorite band. When I listen to this I feel as though it was made for me only. I may be wrong. Buy it and see if you think it was made for you.

Many call what the Boredoms do "noise." This is dismissive. They create sound from nowhere and everywhere; a sound that does not resemble anything else. It is true art.

Under the Influence
"Chocolate Synthesizer" is for experimental music listeners only. The Boredoms shift through various forms of music to create an album that offers the listener a chance to listen to music unlike any other. the band sounds like a mix between sonic youth, flaming lips, and hard core punk. the vocals are lacking and sound like a monkey is reciting them. on the other hand, the music makes for an adventurous ride through various dimensions. "shock city","b for boredoms", and " mama brain" allow the listener to leave the ground and enter a new planet of sound. give this album a shot if you are tired of the mundane and boring pop acts that fill radio and MTV. ... Read more

Album Description

Wolf Eyes are at the forefront of a quickly expanding American noise scene. The music this trio creates is truly terrifying. Sonic touchstones include Throbbing Gristle, early Cabaret Voltaire, Black Flag, Whitehouse, pre-Asheton Destroy All Monsters, Negative Approach, Swans, and early Sonic Youth, with whom they're playing all summer. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

GENIUS!!!
The unfettered, brain-grindingly screechy hardcore of Melt Banana marks them as one of the most unique and exciting bands in operation today. For those not familiar, Melt Banana operate within a terminally insane mode of punk-noise delirium that is both cute and confrontational, and which adopts the musical nonsense of screeching guitar mayhem, pummelling drum assaults, and arrestingly fluid bass distortion as its preferred template. The musicianship is utterly startling, the discipline and fluidity beyond all reasonable comprehension. The freakouts and transient noise-blasts of previous albums are still there, of course, but here refined to a comparitively short track count of 11 songs, all infused with a distinctly poppier whiff (and healthier running time) than ever before. Though, of course, any suggestion that the drum'n'bass-influenced noise blasts of "Free The Bee", or the scratchy, 300bpm hardcore of "Cub, Not Cube" mark 'Teeny Shiny' as Melt Banana's flagship foray into mainstream punk territory should be quashed right now. This is freakishly energetic music, noise-spazz incarnate designed to induce in its audience either wretched headaches and vomiting, or nothing other than jumpy enthusiasm of the most frenzied, fired-up kind. Make your choice, I've made mine = GENIUS!!!

genius
at the moment i only have this and scratch n stich , both are excellnt. The musicainship on this is on another level , awesome , totally original. Agatas guitar is totally nuts!! tom morellos use of the whammy pedal seems tame compared to Agata!! yakos vocals are rad too.buy it!

Where are you
Melt Banana are one of those bands that I saw live once and was completely hooked. My jaw just dropped and I couldn't wait to line up and buy all their records. With "Teeny Shiny" they seem to be taking more a more pop driven direction. Although the pure speed and attack of their music stays the same they seem to have more structure and solid songwriting. One more thing: Agata is this generations Jimi Hendrix and should be widely acknoledged as such.

Short review of one song on this album.
"Lost in Mirror" (on this album) is, perhaps, the best song ever in the history of recorded music. Ok? Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Mr. Robinson

we will, we will rock you...
so melt banana, noisy but polite, trashy but cute as little buttons. its unbelievable that the lovely yasuko (singist) can appear so demure offstage and so frightening onstage doing her convulsion/ATTACK!!!! thing. teeny shiny then, new (ish)album.If you don't know MB then don't start here. you'll probobly find it impenetrable, whatever angle you come at it from. those who do know them, probobly own this already. it has a really weird poppy quality to it, like you'll find little flashes of it coming to you when your not really thinking of anything. live is MBs home, and this is their least 'live' album. it may be just me, but theres less of the time changes that make you think are they making this all up as they go along, meaning it could fit in with a lot of 'straight' grindcore (think dillinger escape plan. which is a shame, as MB are far more exciting than that.
//so, if you know 'em, you own it. if you don't, pick up mxbx, and then tell everyone you know that they are one of the bestest bands in the whole wide world. and if they play in your town/city/country/neighbouring continent, sell your parents for a ticket.
Yes, that good. ... Read more

Amazon.com

For those of you who didn't get quite enough feedback, arena reverb, or raw electricity from 1991's live Weld album to suit your tastes, Neil Young thoughtfully compiled this bizarre aural document. Originally included as a bonus disc on early versions of Weld, Arc is 35 minutes of stray guitar explosions, feedback screeches, stage announcements, and drum checks, all edited together to form a continuous (and actually rather compelling) listening experience. Call it Neil's delayed reaction to Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music, or think of it as his personal scrapbook of the Ragged Glory tour. Either way, you probably won't play it very often, but it's still a nice oddity to have in your Neil collection. --Dan Epstein ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Love and only love...
Okay, this one isn't for everyone. Yes, this is one long noisy track filled with feedback, gutteral guitar rumblings, and occasional snippets of song verses. But what feedback and what rumblings!

Comparisons to Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music aren't really on the mark. MMM is virtually structureless (at least to my ears), while Arc most definitely has structure. Eruptions of pure bass explosions fade into soft passages (Neil singing "I want to love you" over and over again) which crashes into cymbals and drums and feedback. And then the bass explodes again. The passage that begins at around 26:30 where Neil hints at picking up the pace, then drops into a Peter Gunn thing at around 28:30, then just explodes into a desperate frenzy ("No more pain!") at about 32:00 before the piece fades out in gentle bass rumbles and high note glissandos is probably my favorite section of Arc.

I listen to Arc quite a bit. Probably more than any other Neil Young album I have, though I do like Ragged Glory and Freedom quite a bit, as well as his early stuff (really do need to get Decade someday). I tend to listen to Arc when I need to shut out the world around me and concentrate, like when I'm writing or coding. As a matter of fact, it's high on my list for headphone music at work (another favorite choice is Mozart's Requiem, particularly the version conducted by Colin Davis). It's not just ambient music though, and I do like to occasionally listen to it attentively. Don't get Arc expecting songs in any conventional sense, but do try it if you are at all musically adventurous.

Lightning and thunder from Neil's guitar
This is only for Neil Young fan's only...Crazy Horse sounds crazy, the bass and guitar sound like thunder, Neil has a few lyric's from a few songs including Welfare Mothers, Like a Hurricane, and a few others. Its intense it will keep you up :). Great music/noise for work/school. It acctually helps me concentrate better on what i'm doing in class. It times in exactly 34:58 of feedback, guitar rumbling, its very well worth to buy this.

But be warned it's not songs its Neil's and Crazy Horse's thunder from above.

Who said psychedelia is dead?
Let me begin by putting to rest the rumor that, despite its similarity to 'Revolution #9' from the Beatles White Album, if you record the disc onto tape and listen to Neil repeating, over and over, "I wanna love ya" backwards, you will not, I repeat will NOT hear Neil, sounding like SCTV's Bob McKenzie, saying "Take off, you Hoser!".

That being said, what else can I say about this "compilation composition", as Neil calls it? I'm not sure there was any real "composition" preceding it, save snippets from 'Hurricane', 'Love and Only Love', and 'Welfare Mothers', but it is, definitely, a pile of something. What Neil has apparently done is to take his extended song endings, inspired by his tour mates SonicYouth, and manufactured a 35 minute seamless montage of ... song endings. Since it appears that only the above mentioned 3 songs are the source songs for this 'pilation', there is some repetition. To create a 35 minute pile, Neil had to glean song endings from a variety of performances of the same three songs. Lyrically we have from 'Hurricane', "I wanna love ya" and "Once I thought I saw you, in a crowded hazy bar"; from 'Love and Only Love' we get (predictably) "Love and only love"; and from 'Welfare Mothers' Billy Talbots "No more pain..." mantra. Aside from Talbot's single take, the verses are repeated more times than you will be inspired to count.

Is it any good? Well, ask yourself, if you've seen the video 'Weld' (the film produced during this same tour) whether you enjoy the extended song endings offered there, or do you find yourself wishing Neil would wind it up already and move on to the next song? If you haven't seen the video, ask yourself if you enjoyed George Harrison's experimental 'Wonderwall' album, or the 'Apple Jams' disc in his 'All Things Must Pass' box set. If you did, and you're 'into' unconventional, rather psychedelic, distorted electric guitar meanderings, then you're like me and you should get your hands on this disc, and perhaps some therapy!

The sheer fact that Neil was able to produce such an album and 'get away with it' reinforces the aura surrounding his accomplishments. In a small and odd way, it helps to round out his body of music, much like 'Revolution #9' revealed to us the extremes in the mindset of the Beatles. Not sure if it's good for what ails ya', but you will possess a deeper appreciation for the artist Neil Young. Three stars only because that's dead in the middle, and I have no idea what to rate this.

arc is crap spelled backwards(don't even ask about the pee)
Arc is some kind of sick musical joke. It is even worse than Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music. It may have been a freebie initially, but I paid for it and it sucks! I think Lou was on crystal meth when he created his opus,but I can't imagine what Neil was doing when he thought that this was worthwhile.

What Next Neil?
After listening to this album, I have determined Neil Young (one of my favorite artists) is a "music genre [changer]." Ever since 1980 Neil continues to shock fans by exploring new musical realms. He began as a folk artists , but moved further into the mainstream rock of the 70's. As soon as he released Re-act-or, a punk-influenced grunge rock album, nobody could guess what Neil would do next. Before you knew it, he puts out an electronic album (Trans) in a failed attempt to merge with the new-wave movement. Then he took a stab at Rockabilly performing with the shocking pinks (one of the eighties most embarrising bands). Then he tried a country/bluegrass influenced folk rock album entitled "old ways," which wasn't bad, but it still wasn't the Neil Yound everyone remembered. Then came "Landing on Water"... nobody really knows what that was. Nearing the end of the decade, Neil put out "this notes for you": a jazzy-blues stiyle rock album with some of Neil's best guitar playing. When the 80's past, Neil Young began to emerge back into the grunge rock scene he was known for, but he just wouldn't quit. He relaces this album while touring with Sonic Youth. In an attempt to merge with the loud, noise-metal style of rock like that of sonic youth, nirvana, and dinasaur jr. during that time period, Neil puts out a 1-track, 35 minute ablum of guitar feedback and distortion. I don't mind the album that much; it gives leeway to Neil Youngs amazing Guitar improvisation. Although Neil has settled down over the years, he still continues to expand his music into the far reaching realms of the music industry, including his recent attempt to incorporate opera into a concert setting. One thing is for sure, we'll never know what to expect from Neil. I wouldn't suggest this album to anyone new to Neil's music, but if your a die-hard Neil Young fan like me, it's a must. ... Read more

Album Description

What did you listen to last summer? Masami Akita, otherwise known as Merzbow, spent most of his summer listening to Horace Andy, Studio One, Dennis Bovel, Keith Hudson and a whole pipe-full of other dub mavericks. That’s probably why this brand new full-length, with cover art by Jenny Akita, is dripping with deep bass riffage and a whole lot of electronic dub vibes and beats. Merzbuddha is third in the series of Merz-titled releases following in the audio footsteps of the flagship release Merzbeat. With the same reverence for crushing analog beats, weaving noise textures and a compositional complexity, Masami Akita switches direction and dubs it up. Imagine The New Blockaders in an audio blender with King Tubby and you’re not even halfway there. ... Read more

Album Description

1999 release by this Neurosis side-project, intent on exploring the spiritual and philosophical concepts of Neurosis via the sonic and visual arts. This release is a companion to Neurosis' 'Times Of Grace' and is designed to be played simultaneously with it, creating a unique multi-dimensional sound experience. 11 untitled tracks & over 66 minutes of music. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

grace
Grace is certainly a strickingly different album to Times of grace, not 'heavy' no vocals. the album does not really revolve around the traditional band setting but is better described as a montage of sounds. This does not make Grace a bad album however, it is an intruiging concept and a fascinating listen. I would reccommend it to anyone regardless of musical taste for the sheer 'art' of it.

Graced
For anyone familiar with the styles of Tribes of Neurot, then you'll definitly want to add this to your collection. While played simultaneously with Neurosis' "Times of Grace" the two albums blend together. The distinct differences in the styles are apparent, yet the ambient quality of Tribes of Neurot counters the raw power of Neurosis in this ingenius concept. A Very original idea that, once again, shows why this style of music is far under-rated. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Play "Nuts and Berries" for grandma and watch her die.
It's seriously that heavy and scary, folks. This album is so balls out massive at points that you can't help but wonder what could have been had Joe gotten along better with the Melvins... or you might agree with me that getting kicked out of that band might have been the best thing for Preston, and for us.

I can't put this album down. It snakes its way back into heavy rotation no matter what else I get into. Joe's drum programming is not just adequate, it carries it's own irreplacable aesthetic. And what he does on top of those drums is mind blowing. These are the heaviest riffs I've ever heard. Preston doesn't let them drone on excessively like Earth and Sunn))), he keeps them immediate and powerful, taking thick chunks of flesh and bone with every deliberate stroke. His use of vocoders really enhance the experience, taking this album to the left of being a sludge-fest towards some dreamlike uncharted territory.

In a lot of ways, Thrones owes much to the Melvins. But as this album testifies, Joe has taken that influence and improved upon it... and also broken some new ground, which is exactly what chanelling influence is all about. I really, really hope he pushes the envelope and puts out another album.

Metal Age Pink Floyd
I think this album is a work of art, it's mezmerizing and very haunting. It's awesome music to tripp to, and I think Thrones is a Metal Age Pink Floyd...

wooly mammoth of a man
take one bearded man, give him a wall of amplification, a double necked guitar, a bass, a multi-effects processor, a synthesizer, a couple of drum machines...and what do you have? the bass sound on this record alone makes it worth the cash. a rumbling, lower-than-balls thunder machins assault on all that is holy and divine. joe burns down whole cities and leaves nothing but broken strings and ashes in his wake.

THRONES - "Sperm Whale"
Just when you thought it couldn't get any better, the THRONES give us "Sperm Whale," a diverse work of unparalled genius. On this recording, the same sludge-bass overdrive sound is maintained as it was on "Alraune," but all other musical elements are expanded on and improved - The recording quality is better, the sequencing is more sophisticated, the synth and midi sound more convicing, the use of vocal effects and samples is more tastefull, etc. etc. etc. The end product is a highly-listenable album which is both interesting AND will rock your socks off.

Fans of older Melvins, Earth, Sleep, and Godflesh recordings will enjoy this record.

JOE PRESTON: Guardian of this planet, dispenser of Justice
Bassist Joe Preston came from Earth, one of the only bands that ever gave the Melvins a run for their money to take the "heaviest band ever" trophy back in the early 1990s. In 1991, the Melvins invited Joe to quit Earth and join the Melvins. Personally, I believe the Joe Period was the best period of the Melvins' existence. But the Joe Period didn't last long. (barely two years, three records, maybe? Lysol, solo EPs, Night Goat 7") The Melvins kicked Joe out, and then proceeded to go downhill at about 3000 mph. Joe disappeared for a couple of years. Then he began his Thrones project. He's released several singles and one previous album, Alraune.

Sperm Whale is actually two 4 song 12" EPs combined; White Rabbit from a year or two ago, and the brand new Sperm Whale 12". (Ironically, all of the songs on Sperm Whale seem to be about bears. Joe is a self-proclaimed "friend to animals".) The songs are comepletely intermixed (no, not 'remixed'!) to form a new album. The band Thrones in general basically picks up where the Melvins left off back before they started to suck. Granted, most of this stuff doesn't actually sound like the Melvins, but... some of it really does. Some of the vocals sound EXACTLY like Buzz. Man Mountain is a good example. There are a couple of more or less "ambient" tracks that didn't set my pants on fire. But when Thrones are on, they're ON, and they sound nothing like anyone but Thrones. Bass, drum machines, samples, and vocoders. The opening song, Oso Malo just ROCKS as hard as a song can rock, and the last track, Obolus, is absolutely beautiful. Vocoders and ultra-overdriven electric bass never sounded so dreamlike and nightmarish. And thank God Joe recorded his live-favorite, Django, a Spaghetti Western theme song. As a whole I find this to be leaps and bounds better than the already great Alraune, and I can't wait to see what Joe does next. ... Read more

Album Description

Japanese three song EP, in the 13-minute range. Packaged in a limited edition mirror-embossed hard jacket sleeve. The word 'jungle' here seems to be used in the more traditional (i.e. Martin Denny) sense, exotica-laden samples & enchanted island vox & human rhythms (sped up to completely alien tempos, perhaps the only 'jungle' jungle oriented activity herein) that don't fail to confound your sense of well being. Warner. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Ultra Tight
This album is a must have for any boredoms fan. It rah's the sun with x-wing fighter niji value. Old school rah , Cordettes Style. With old Hideatora flesh drum beats with mystic la's as a frame.

Festive
I had the extreme pleasure of visiting Japan in december and was able to pick a few of the yet unreleased Boredoms albums. I liked this one quite a bit.The boredoms keep going futher and futher with there music and this one is unlike the others.Jungle Taitei is probably one of my new favorite boredoms songs, and is on this album. The song starts out with traditional Japanesse drums and the changes in a sonic flight with Mr. Sandman-esque backing vocals...A must buy for any boredoms fan. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Best Batch Yet
An album of fantastic noise-rock; heavier than death metal; this is what Primus would sound like if they were real. Much better than Ruins' earlier material - more polished, but the polish doesn't ruin anything.

A comment on earlier reviews: "Chittam Irangaayo" is indeed a cover of a song by south Indian fusion violinist L Shankar.

We all need more Japanese prog-rock
This is better than Hyderomastgroningem (the only other Ruins album I own) simply because it's all music. Hyderomastgroningem has a few tracks of howling gibberish and static. This time, every track is super-tight bass-and-drums. It sounds like twenty Rush instrumentals squished into 50 minutes.

If you like crazy, genre-hopping music like Mr. Bungle or just about anything by John Zorn (especially Naked City), you'll like this.

Complex,Exhausting,Relentless,Mind Boggling....
Tatsuya Yoshida has been making music with his main band Ruins for almost 20 years now.And although there are slight variations to the core idea over the years,depending on the bass player of the moment and various fx used,the strategy remains the same.Faux-operatic jabbering,stop/start/rewind/play-it-again insane time signatures,hyper drumming,and sounds and textures one wouldn't normally associate,much less believe could come from a 5 or 6 string bass guitar.The crucial elements that make Ruins more than just a novelty act are-a sense of humor that allows them to reach places serious musicians(read:snobs)wouldn't be caught dead attempting.With that sense of humor is also the fact that they are dead serious about it,no one in their right mind would create music this complex and difficult to play as just a joke.Their belief in this approach and yet not taking it so seriously that they can't have fun also prevents this music from being simply another "show off" display by self conscious musicians.That is simply to say,the world that Yoshida creates is natural to him,certainly by now he isn't TRYING,this IS the language he has created.

Even as a longtime Ruins fan,I must admit it can be exhausting trying to digest all that's going on in the music,even as it flys by at 150 mph.Although at times the approach can seem like it has a limited life-span,Tzomborgha proves that Yoshida has enough tricks up his sleeve to keep it fresh.

Tzomborgha is in my opinion the best Ruins album since Hyderomastringoen.All the albums since that one haven't improved drastically on the formula,and yes,some of those albums simply seem like they are going through the motions.The production quality also varies greatly,whereas Refusal Fossil has all manner of lo-fi recording quality and Palloschtom does not have the "punch"of typical Ruins releases.I also didn't care for some of Sasaki's bass tones and approach on Palloschtom.

Tzomborgha has several fresh touches:the production is great,Yoshida's killer snare is always punching your speakers,and Yoshida also put more time into the mix,with creative reverb and panning.Hisashi Sasaki's bass playing is assured as ever,at times he strums so fast on songs like"Issighirudoh"you wonder why he just doesn't play guitar instead.He also sneaks in some chicken scratch and funk licks on "Gurthemvhail".Another treat is "Wanzhemvergg"which after the 90 mph-dash to the chorus,breaks down into sort of an ambient/world music funk groove,that is a nice break from the typical Ruins onslaught.Other highlights include "Chittam Irangaayo"which apparently has something to do with Shankar,and indeed is Ruins with a indian classical touch.Also appearing are two of Ruins medley series,one devoted to Mahavishnu Orchestra and the other a Black Sabbath medley with highly amusing vocals.

In my mind this is a progression for Ruins.They have added some aggression back into the playing,while still developing new textures.And it goes without saying these complex tunes are played so fast and deftly yet it seems like these guys could do it in their sleep.

a.m.a.z.i.n.g.
Hyderomastgroningem has always been my favorite Ruins album. I love all their albums, some more than others, but I tend to like the more tightly compositioned of their songs as opposed to the messy (but still cool) improv songs. Tzomborgha is the best Ruins album I have heard, and I've heard almost all of them... and THANK GOD Ipecac put it on their label alongside Magaibutsu to make it easier to get a hold of in the US.
This album is extremely complex, super tight, and includes a variety of different sounds with pedals and voice effects never before heard in any Ruins album. The album is simply amazing. I never thought Ruins could possibly come up with anything more original than Hyderomastgroningem but they have by going into a new abstract style. Take any number of their super complex signature-changing songs and add 100 more beats to each pattern... meaning a lot of the patterns are so long and complex that it must have taken them months just to memorize one measure. All the while remaining fast and upbeat... not just a single complex pattern slowed down.
Every song on it's own sounds like a combo of all my favorite Ruins songs rolled into one... times 15. I've been waiting for this album for a very very long time. If you only buy one Ruins album in your life, make it this one. THANK YOU Yoshida Tatsuya for being born! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

New remix on SkinGraft
This is a remix by Tatsuya Yoshida of the original Magaibutsu release.The sound is different--harsher, like the sound on "Ruins Best".It has the effect of drawing "Vrresto" closer in sensibility to their earlier releases--it's smoother sound shocked me when I first heard the original.As of right now, I find this niether better nor worse, just different. ... Read more

Album Description

Lexington, KY's Hair Police are a true power trio. They started out as a power electronics band three years ago, then matured into a full-on band with drums, guitars, and electronics. Their sound has evolved into a more structured, full-on assault on the senses. They can go from the most intense destruction to subtle beauty in seconds, and they've become one of the most popular groups in the ever-growing noise scene populated by Black Dice, Wolf Eyes, Lightning Bolt, and Animal Collective. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

EYE EYE EYE!!!!
this cd brings make memories! i was a sophomore when i first heard it and fell in love with it. actually this is the only Boredoms cd i ever liked but it was one of those albums that changed my life. its a lot better to listen to this if your a punk rocker getting tired of 3 chords, and really wanna listen to some different music that you think is real punk rock.

Neu Faust Boredoms
The immediate response to hearing Boredoms' SUPER ROOTS 6 is that it is immensely like what Faust of early to mid-70s COULD sound like today. Of course, Faust does not sound anything like this today, since they have had their own natural progression towards a more abstract sound. In a strange twist, Faust today sound more like Boredoms used to sound like in their earlier releases. But I digress.

Gone is the chaos and abstraction and in its place is a brilliantly catchy, yet monotonous hypno-beat. "9", the sixth toon, is a wonderful studio sound (re)mix cut-up of essentially a 5 second bit extended to 6 minutes -- but it holds your attention with just slight adjustments and variations. "8", track number 7, isn't, in description much besides an accelerating drumroll, but when you listen it GROWS.

So what you have in the end is a goofy masterwork, a record that is funky, surreally syrupy in the weirdest spots, minimalist bliss. It's completely unlike the earlier records and paving the way to their SUPER AE and VISION CREATION NEW SUN. Give it a try, crank the pedal, put on your earphones and zone out.

best of the beast?
A couple of years ago I got completely freaked out by Pop Tatari & Chocolate Synthesizer, obviously enjoyed them a fair bit but w/ the all over the place chaos, cheesy metal riffs & screeeeeeeeaming they weren't quite perfect & you couldn't play them in mixed company [4 stars each though]. the 1st Super Roots was 16 minutes of inventive joy also from that era & the series continued on & #6 is some of the best music I've ever heard. Total headphone or funky party background sounds, brilliant beats & miscellaneous sounds, mostly instrumental, devoid of proper song titles as it's all part of 1 great thing, tracks I like the best are '2' [4], '7' [8], '5' [10], & '13' [14]. Not merely a preview of the critically favourable Vision Creation Newsun which is good but more hippiefried then this rare bit of genius.

WOW!
Buy this CD. A great place to start your Boredoms addiction. They've come a long way from their Japanese Noise Punk roots and keep on pushing the creative envelope. Inspiring to say the least. Ready for the adventure?

Beginning of the new Boredoms
This album (album-length single?) reminds me of some sort of Javanese gamelan music or of trance techno not intended for dancing. It's lovely, but disjointed, and the songs(?)tend to be short and to spin suddenly in and out, which is confusing, but makes for a interesting listen. Perhaps it was just a problem with the medium I listened to, a promo cassette, but I imagine the CD is the same. This (single?) does seem to show the direction the Boredoms were beginning to take as far back as Chocolate Synthesizer--toward techno/ambient/ethnomusic and away from pure punk-noise--and make it apparent, though not as clear as it has been on their last two albums, where they added some chanting and overt hippie stuff. I think it's probably the most interesting example of their new stuff, experimental as opposed to violent (ChocoSyn) or pure fake techno (Vision Creation). Interesting listen. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Hey, the Japanese version is different!
WARNING: I just got the Japanese version of this CD and it is different from the US version! Each track is separate, unlike the US version which cobbles together most of the tracks into one indexed track, there is one more song ("Used CD") and some of the tracks are shorter in the US (the Japanese version is 3 minutes longer but "Used CD" is only about a minute long).

It's still great, though. Buy both!

wacked out bliss & not too much
the 1st 3 tracks here all go for a minute or less, not unlike the music made by this reviewer, surf rock, screaming & other styles all gloriously mashed up. The last track is about 134 tracks, seeming made up of many tracks w/in a track, including the bit where the title is chanted "soooop-ah roooz". Joy. ... Read more