Monday, 30 June 2025

Raism – The Very Best Of Pain (MCD 1996)


Country: Greece / Finland
 
Tracklist
1. Chaosphere 03:54
2. Killing Machine 04:49
3. Les 120 Journees De Sodome (A Velvet Ballad For Desade) 04:37
4. Alienation 04:10
5. What Kind Of Hell Is This Anyway? 04:32
 
 Raism was the continuation of Diabolos Rising project that featured Magus Wampyr Daoloth (Thou Art Lord,
The Magus, ex-Necromantia, ex-N.A.O.S., ex-Danse Macabre) and Mika Luttinen (Impaled Nazarene).
The band took its moniker from Gilles De Rais and here the dark atmosphere of Diabolos Rising is left aside
for a more groovier and catchier industrial metal melodies with anti-social and misanthropic themes.
Sotiris Vayenas of Septic Flesh is handling the guitars
while Spiros Antoniou (also from Septic Flesh) is responsible for the cover art of the MCD.
In 1997 Raism released their only full length album entitled "Aesthetic Terrorism"
where most of the tracks are followed by a hardcore techno remix version of them.

Sunday, 29 June 2025

GLOD – Gnosis (1995)


Country: United States
 
Tracklist
1. Black Song For A Dead Sun 06:03
2. Overmind 04:46
3. Redgnosis 11:37
4. Breath Of Fire 11:10
5. Return To Zero 13:15
6. Molecular Noisefloor 21:19
 
 GLOD (aka G.L.O.D. God Loves Over Dose) officially began around 1988 and consisted of Frank107 on vocals,
effects and manipulations, David Martin samplers and keyboards and Michael Dead on stick guitar.
A couple of home-recorded tapes were put out in limited editions,
the first being "23V" and the second being "The Gold Tape".
Around that time Frank, Shelley Soma and Mike Dead began to put out the self-published booklets,
on each solstice and equinox, which later became known as "Glod Propaganda".
As work commenced on the self-titled first LP, which was initially put out as a limited edition on marbelized clear vinyl,
then later on CD with additional tracks, GLOD coalesced into a coherent sonic endeavor
comprised of Frank, David, Mike and SSoma as a percussionist and auxillary vocalist.
Wolfgang joined late in the production, in time to make it on the CD as a second percussionist for the song "Sacriscar".
Their first CD was an exploration of sound and texture in a ritualistic format,
with not much regard for commerciality or the numerous technical obstacles which confronted the band members.
At the same time their early live performances quickly gained them attention with their occult symbolism,
ritualistic drumming, body manipulations and usage of blood sacrifice.
After the release of the first CD, Mike Dead departed the band, choosing to pursue his own path.
Also the band upgraded their home studio equipment, played some live dates around the US
(including some in the Midwest with Ordo Equitum Solis) and produced a video titled "A Private Release",
which was a sort of documentary to the events which centered around the making of the first CD.
With work on the new CD underway, GLOD signed on with the Italian label Musica Maxima Magnetica,
which also re-released the first CD in Europe.
For "Gnosis" GLOD worked with guitarist Dreike, Wolfgang shifted from drums to bass guitar
and a new drummer, Xian, was joined from the Detroit percussive band Batterie Acid.
On the visual side, Frank and SSoma produced the cover artwork and text.
"Gnosis" is a more coherent elaboration of the gnostic state that the band explored with their first release.
It explores ritualistically styled old elegies using the interplay of violin, trumpet and kettledrums 
juxtaposed with sublimely textured samples, non-traditional guitar and aggressive bass.
Weaving seductive rhythms, psychedelia-tinged trance laden with atavistic percussion and ecstatic vocal chants.
The compilations "Magnetic Submission" and the Charnel Music release "Arrhythmia III" followed.
By 1996 GLOD started working on their third CD that saw the light of day in 1999 under the title "Babe In Abyss".

Saturday, 28 June 2025

Alquimia – "Coatlicue" Goddess Of The Earth (1992)

 
Country: Mexico
 
Tracklist
Coatlicue Diosa De La Tierra:    
I. Coatepec (Hill Of Snakes) 02:38
II. Tlilán (The Temple Of Darkness) 01:48
III. Coatlicue (The Goddess Of The Earth) 03:11
IV. Festividades (Festivities) 02:56
V. Danza De Xilonem (Xilonem's Dance) 04:26
VI. La Dualidad De La Diosa (The Duality Of The Goddess) 03:10
VII. Procesión (Procession) 02:45
VIII. Ofrenda (Offertory) 03:49
IX. Sacrificio (Sacrifice) 05:53
10. Walkyrias 05:55
11. Alkaest 04:19
12. Avatar 04:08
13. Aura 03:34
14. Inquisición 03:28
 
 A project that started in the late 80s by Mexican female multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Margarita Saavedra.
Her work explore the experimental scene with risky blends of musical genres achieving a sonic amalgamation.
While her basic tracks feature vocals and piano, Alquima enhances her recordings with layers of looped vocals,
electronic processors, sound effects, samples, synthesizers, gongs and bells.
The result is a sound that combines the musical traditions of Latin America
with influences of avant-garde, classical and improvisational music.
Alquimia developed an early love of music and singing, partly from her mother, a classical opera singer.
She went on to study in France and Canada, before making her permanent home in England.
Although she has often been far from home, her interest in the ethnic musical styles of her home country
made her learn various pre-Columbian percussion instruments and flutes,
while her search for new sounds inspired her use of modern music technology.
Alquimia has recorded many albums, both as a solo artist and with writers and musicians such as Hans-Joachim Roedelius,
Rüdiger Gleisberg, Peter Mergener, Anton Zinkl, Mark Powell, Art Of Infinity, Carlos Robledo and others.