Labels: Heart & Crossbone
Review by: Alex Deller
Apologies for the delay on this one Heart & Crossbone, but this was something of a challenge. Only eight tracks, I know, but a challenge nonetheless. For whatever reason, this is set out as a testament to the unity between Japan and Israel when it comes to making fucking horrible music. Some of it is sludged-out doom, some of it is impenetrable noise and some of it blurs the lines between the two. For my money Ryokuchi’s ten-minute weirdo sludge opener and the relentless thump n’ squall of MONEYI$GOD take the top prize, while the comparative calm of Cadaver Eyes’ wurbling drone invocation changes things up a bit, albeit with a dose of bloodcurdling shrieks rising unexpectedly out of the static. Elsewhere Poochlatz are a bit dull and the sub-Corrupted grunt of Zenocide ain’t great, but for the most part the quality keeps just the right side of dreck for a release that won’t necessarily set the world alight but at least lifts the lid a little further on this label’s troubling penchant for the horrific.