Everyone
welcome new label on the block, GMI Independent. Sister label to the newly
started RivitHead Records in FL, GMI is also planning on beginning a new
magazine called StygianStar.net, and for their first issue they may be
offering this CD. The Blackend White compilation is very
similar in scope to RivitHead's Blackend release, as you
can probably tell. This release however stayed strongly in the
experimental and darker industrial plane when they assubmled the music for
the work. So let's get on with it then…
Dynosaur - Genetic Mishap
Genetic Mishap are the guys that organized GMI Independent and this
very CD, so it's only natural to start here. Dynosaur is a
mix-it-up experiment that remains rather chaotic.
Death Iz Coming - Doomsday
Kult
Very whispering with backing brush-style rhythms. It
can be redundant, but remains interesting enough in the make-up to not
fall completely to boring. This one is offered to us by Doomsday Kult,
probably one of the hardest working bands I've come across.
Don't Waste a Minute -
Hideous Input
Track 3 from Hideous Input is a definite
highlight to the compilation, switching from the chaotic makeup of the
previous two tracks to a grooving, controlled and well put together piece
that, while somewhat minimal, holds your attention through it's smooth
nature and floaty melodic overtones during vocal breaks. I believe that
was a run-on sentence, sorry.
Gunsitter - Two Ton Flood
Two Ton Flood, takes a much stronger EBM stance, touching
vocals with some faded metallic vox and keeping a computeresque sliding
melody style. But I like GunSitter, even if it's somewhat standard
based. It's well done and reminds me of some of the best from groups like
Nothing Inside.
Hypertrophy - Reshure
Hypertrophy by Reshure opens with an interesting grooviness
to it, occasionally fading into rhythmless sighs and whistle effects. Not
overly engaging, but thankfully somewhat short at under two minutes.
Initializing - Defacation
Plus
Another under 2 minute track, and is basically a
mish-mash of engine and grinding sounds with a slowly growing
standard-fare beat track behind it. However, the band name, Defacation
Plus, is pretty accurate, as this track is kind of like a dump of sound
mixed together with no semblance of musicality.
Jaded - Sanitary Refuse
Here we have a mixture of drum 'n bass at the outset, occasional
cynical vocal samples as the song name Jaded implies, and very
angry repetitive vocals. Uninspiring at best, including the stock guitar
riffs.
One Night Stand (2TFMix) -
Hideous Input
Another from Hideous Input, who are clearly
showing up all the other bands here with their offerings. One Night
Stand is a darkwave track that combines various melodic interludes
with quiet, whispered vocals. It's got a nice rhythm, interesting synth
work and is awash with key chords that slide in and out just behind the
higher pitched melodies. Very well put together, and it grows in form as
it moves on, becoming more complicated as you listen.
Broken Teeth (Parallel) -
Sanitary Refuse
Track 9 returns to the work of Sanitary
Refuse. Again, a drum and bass style makeup here with interlaced spoken
word samples, all mixed together in a chaotic manner. More noise-some than
musical. Mechanized guitar riffs tear through the track on an occasional
basis, just in case you were getting bored.
PreNA (Wah-ChoutMix) -
Genetic Mishap
Genetic Mishap offer us a remix of their PreNA
track from their release of the same name. Here is an example of the
chaos-as-music attempt done well that other bands on this compilation have
been trying to attempt (Sanitary Refuse, Defacation Plus, etc.). GM ride
the very edge of music, drifting just far enough into the ambient-noise
and chaos void to remain interesting. See more on these guys in recent
issues of Legends Magazine when we covered their past two full length
releases.
The Undead - Doomsday Kult
Doomsday Kult is also a RivetHead staple, creating very complicated
and rhythmically moving pieces. The Undead mixes up the
compilation with an astounding increase in BPMs and is one of their best
darkwave tracks. You can seem more on DDK in recent issues of Legends.
The Fading of Hills and Sunset
- Reshure
Suddenly turning moody and exquisitely dark with a
low-brow, minimal arrangement, Reshure's second offering on this
compilation on track 12 isn't bad. While a bit standard-fare melodically
and not quite something new, it's well done if a little bland.
Maze - Defacation Plus
Track 13 is Defacation Plus again, with another badly
arranged piece of…well, defacation. Guitars, attempts at rhythm and
other things coalesce together into something only vaguely musical, albeit
more musical than their Initializing track simply because it has more of a
beat. Again, I thank them for keeping it short, just over two minutes.
Wolfkiss (HardKlubEdit) -
Two Ton Flood
Wolfkiss is a dance/electronica piece
from Two Ton Flood. Interesting, it's still a little bland and has this
feeling of "missing something" to give it kick and vigor. But
it's not bad at all, it's somewhat decent for what it is - a dancefloor,
moody-styled electronica song.
And then there's the bonus hidden track - which I tend to believe is the drunken Genetic Mishap guys fucking around in the studio to the tune of the Star Spangled Banner. Well, hell, if they can remake the Chickendance, who's to say they can't mess around with this one, eh?
The Blackend White comp. is interesting and has a few really fine gems (Hideous Input most notably). There are a few tracks that I could have done completely without, but it's a good example of the very experimental side of industrial and darkwave music. Good for those that like it raw.
ContactInformation:
Web:
http://doomzdaykult.tripod.com/rivitheadrecords/
