Paragon Null - "falsified e.p." (1998 house of tears)

...some pretty heavy guitar moments in Ashen...

words from the website:
"Originally conceptualized by Cuscino in late 1997, Paragon Null came to fruition in early 1998 with the release of the Falsified EP, described in Dead Zine as "a definite must have." This release showcased a dark, metallic-tinged industrial sound. Record label attention soon followed, and Paragon Null signed to Glass Diamond Records. Glass Diamond released the Clockwork Flux EP in the summer of 1998. This release displayed a stripped-down, bare-bones Paragon Null delving into drum & bass, old-school techno, and trance, while still adding their own original flavor. Several compilation appearances soon followed including Quiet Boy Recordings' Secrets from the Cone of Silence, Blacklight Records' Collapsing Structure, and Velvet Empire Records' Digital Assimilation.


Paragon Null's previous releases displayed an outfit constantly dabbling in genre-swapping. The change has just begun, however, for Paragon Null have recently found their niche in ethereal trance/trip-hop and 1999's independently released Welcome to the Mach-2.


This record brings to mind early works from Aphex Twin, and close ties to Massive Attack and Tricky can be heard straining throughout the sonic swirl. If listened to closely, Underworld, Future Sound of London, Björk, and Orbital can also be heard skipping through Paragon Null's vast treasure trove of influences.


Having settled on a fundamental sound, while maturing sonically, musically, and spiritually, Paragon Null promises to be hitting the rave generation with more beats-per-minute of ambient brilliance in the months and years to come. Welcome to the world of Paragon Null, where the soundscape to the future prepares to invade your mind.
Paragon Null is:
Curt Cuscino & Mark Lomas"

yeah, okay, whatever. back in the 90's i launched my own promo-craps so i know how this goes. this thing is short so just dl and see what you think. its definitely a different band than the paragon null which followed shortly. go on, grab it, its tiny, its good, and theres no way in hell you'll be able to find this early side of Paragon Null anywhere else.

a1. in this hour {polarized mix}
a2. stealing gravity
b1. ashen
b2. @trophy
Ω

Lopez - "Why Can't It Stop?" (1995 Trophy Records)

first track is exactly what i was hoping for...old skool ravehouse dancey-techno ala moby early 90's.

ah okay, great, i made a fantastic purchase, good for me.

on to track two: wait..what the fuck is this? certainly danceable but not at all what i was expecting....its good though, i suppose i have to go seek out josh wink's minimal acid house werks now.    was hoping for more of the first track, but this is good too in its own very different way...techno....*sigh* AHHHH

the third track probably goes right back to the winning formula that was the tried and true style of track 1 right?   

HOLY SHITBALLS!!!!!  can this track even be called techno?  no, i doubt it.   amid the vast sea of crazy ass subgenres of electronic music....i have no idea where this track fits.  its bizarre for sure, but not strange or atonal or arhythmic enough to go into any of the noise (or related) genres.....what the hell is this?   

at first i was annoyed as fuck....

slowly but surely i grew to love this strange track and now appreciate it as the rare treat of experimentalism that it is.

here's hoping you will too.

1. why can't it stop?

2. the dirty underground

3. everybody can do it

Ω

MAGO - "ENLACE" (2001 crescens collective)

* Released at Cornerstone Festival 2001.
* Limited to roughly 50 copies.
* Disc hand-stamped with logo and release name.
* Disc came in printed, single-fold vellum in clear plastic sleeve (very cool)

i'm super lucky to have gotten a copy of this..hell, 50 copies?  i just happened to be playing with the anaphylaxis "band" with sanctum, audio paradox and mago for industrial night at cstone '01 where this SUPER limited edition disc was released and no doubt sold out.   the guys couldn't have been cooler.

there's probably nothing else like this on this blog thus far.  i've been listening to it again recently, what are a rare little gem.

a couple of songs were later reworked for the album "Definition Of Raw Moments From A Different Perspective" on ad noiseam in 2002. i'm sure you can still buy a copy of 'definition...' somewhere, but not this one.

1. Enlace

2. Ripple

3. Gambit

4. Tench

5. Chronic

6. Infinite

Ω

Lackthrow - "Alamoth's Demise" (2008 alOne/Grandpa Spaceship)

"we don't hate you. we love you, but it is time to go."


 The bulk of the material was recorded in 2008 while some of the other material goes back as far as 1997.  Some of the shorter pieces were culled from the only ALAMOTH release, the 97 track cd "unnerved" from 2002.

touches of noise, but mostly ambient funeral experimental metal junk.

1.corpus striatum 04:10
2.metaphor(picking at scabs) 00 :13
3.metawhore-pick at scabs ft. queaerns 00 :13
4.one week later (fear is thieving) 06:01
5.i fall too far 00:06
6.these makeshift scars 00:06
7.tomb of breath 11:40
8.in order of a night 01:38
9.notion 07:34
10.procrastinating 00:09
11.fourmissingtoes (finality) 17:11
12.dust catcher (part 1) (live 1997) 01:42
13.the inevitable rise of absolution 06:59
14.annon (live 1998) 01:51
15.at your feet 06:52
16....as good as dreams 00:08
17.collision document (live 2008) 07:59
18.cult of icons (live@mughall, pa 1998) 04:31

{79 minutes}
Ω

paragon null - "clockwork flux" (1998 Glass Diamond records)

this cdr release is far different from their earlier cassettes. this time most of the guitars and heavy industrial rock/metal stuff has been dropped in lieu of more trance influenced electronica with some drum n bass beats and techno. a couple of the tracks on the harder more 'industrial/metal' tape "Falsified" appear here in a remixed form.

review from ballistic test zine:
"The last time Paragon Null appeared in recorded form was on Velvet Empire's Digital Assimilation compilation, with a couple instrumental techno-trancy offerings. The band builds on that style here, offering listeners an electronic-based trip through a number of different dance genres including everything from old-school techno to trance to drum'n'bass. The programming is generally danceable and quite good, with some especially nice bass lines throughout. Meanwhile, in the filler category, a couple segments consist of little more than some background ambience while long vocal samples play through.
What makes Paragon Null stand out from other bands in this market is the vocals. Whereas most others would have either the cheesy dance vocals or none at all, PN takes a darker and more interesting approach. The band's intriguing lyrics are presented in a harsh whispered style that gives everything a much edgier feel. Interesting and sometimes ominous samples add to the effect. The net result is pretty cool.


On the negative side, the mixing is not great, especially with regard to the samples. In a number of cases, a vocal snippet will jump in loud enough to give you a start if you're not prepared for it. Also, in "Stealing Gravity", the piano line (although cool) doesn't quite jive tempo-wise with the drum'n'bass percussion. Some extra time could've been spent smoothing those things out a bit.


Despite these small setbacks, the CD is definitely worth listening to for fans of almost any type of electronic music. With the promise this band has shown, it's time to put the effort into a quality full-length release (at just under 30 minutes, this isn't quite a full-length). And with the obvious hard work that they're putting into getting themselves "out there", it won't be long before they come through with just that.


--Carson Pierce"

1. Unbegin (the Unseen)
2. Sect 31 (the System Remix)
3. Lies
4. Empty Tears (Screamn2u)
5. Pogo's Flame
6. Stealing Gravity (Lost City of Atlantis Mix)
7. Ashen (Diffussion Mix)

DOWNLOAD!!!!

various artists "KAUSING A KOMMOTION a tribute to madonna (2001 Nihilist)

best.
 madonna.
  tribute.
    ever.

easily in the top 5 tribute albums of all time.
the original cd had a mastering error by which several tracks were smashed together.  i have (painstakingly) corrected this incredibly frustrating flaw; each track in the playlist is represented on its own NOW, as it should be.
For your first time (at the least), a listening, in order, front to back, is encouraged.
the very cool (and HUGE) package of (hi-res) artwork is included below.

*side note: this compilation produced what might be my favorite masonna track.
ENJOY!!!

1. experimenting
2. Venerealectric – Causing A Commotion
3. i think mtv...
4. Bl@klite – Material Girl
5. no comment...
6. Masonna – Like A Virgin
7. i chained myself...
8. Women Of Sodom – Lourdes Prayer
9. it's noise...
10. Kingdom Of Filth – Don't Stop
11. give me the drugs
12. Zipper Spy – Madam
13. madonna don't preach...
14. Sockeye – Papa Don't Preach
15. all i can say is...
16. Averse Sefira – Into The Groove
17. what if?
18. Garment Bladder – Secret
19. censorship
20. Haters, The – Who's That Girl?
21. in the spotlight
22. Goblins, The – Lucky Star
23. i love you people...
24. Hornswoggle – Live To Tell
25. well...
26. Sleep Chamber – Secret Garden
27. that's what happens...
28. Jak Shit – Crazy For You
29. omg
30. Panicsville – You'll See
31. F. Stein – Like A Prayer
32. worship

AUDIO


BOOK

soul junk - "1955" (1998 jackson/rubio recordings)

terrifically weird.
there's no use trying to quickly sum up the sound of soul junk.  drum n' bass, punk, hip-hop, alt rock, electronic, experimental, funk, stoner, industrial, genre hop HOP HOP HOPPING.


A1 Rebel Syphon
A2 Universal Two-Day City
A3 Pack Of Goons
A4 May My Tongue Be Stuck Up On The Roof
A5 Velodrome?
A6 Prophecies
A7 Old Dominion
A8 Straight From Neptune
A9 Double-O Javelin
A10 Blunderbuss
A11 Throw Down
A12 Cherry Stereo Chariot
A13 Moonbeam?
A14 All Men Are Grass
A15 Glowing Funeral
A16 As The Rain
A17 Transubstantial Peel-Out

AA18 See His Face
AA19 More Of The Illusory Doorprize
AA20 Gorilla In The Mix
AA21 April 42nd
AA22 Numb Live & Looser
AA23 Quasars?
AA24 Subwoof Ape Job
AA25 Yellow Tooth Yooth
AA26 THE Auriginal Manglist
AA27 Down With Sounds
AA28 All Lids
AA29 Some True Blue Gum From Seething Teeth
AA30 Turn On The Solar
AA31 Lazy Rattlesnake


A


AA

cybershadow - "social conditioning" (1997 flaming fish music)

1 Social Conditioning (Remix 3.0) 5:11 Remix - Pivot Clowj 2 Social Conditioning (Lobotomized Parasite Dub) 5:57 Remix - Audio Paradox 3 Incubation (Trimesters Revisited) 1:18 4 Social Conditioning (Finding Ling Lings Head Mix) 11:31 Remix, Featuring [Additional Instruments] - Tymothi Loving 5 Adrenaline Rush 5:39 Other [Original By] - Leæther Strip Written By - Claus Larsen 6 Social Conditioning (Heavy Hand Of Pain Mix) 9:07 Remix, Featuring [Additional Instruments] - Tymothi Loving 7 Social Conditioning (Kind Of Trippy Kind Of - Maybe Trip Hop - Maybe Not Sort Of Kind Of Maybe Mix) 4:50 Remix - Pivot Clowj 8 Their Christmas Angel (Anachronistic Version) 3:45 Remix - Joakim Thureby

Ω

nova sphere - "solar energy" (1998 Velvet Empire / Flaming Fish Music)

Ω

London After Midnight - "psycho magnet" (2003 irond)

originally appearing in 1995, psycho magnet, has been re-issued so many times so many different tracks/remixes/live versions etc that it gets well confusing. well, here is the 2003 version (though any version of the album is teriffic) which contains 17 songs.

unfortunately some tracks are missing from the original release...so i've thrown those in here as well, in a seperate folder to avoid confusion. its not quite a complete picture of psycho magnet, but its better than any one issue of this excellent disc.

the 2003 re-issue:

1		The Bondage Song (Unchained Mix)
2		Kiss (Club Mix)
3		Where Good Girls Go To Die
4		Psycho Magnet
5		Shatter
6		A Letter To God
7		Carry On...Screaming
8		HATE!
9		Blessing
10		The Christmas Song
11		Shatter (Live)
12		Atmosphere (Live)
13		A Letter To God (Live)
14		Untitled
15		Innocence Lost
16		Kiss
		17 99

bonus tracks from other versions of this release:

the bondage song

theme from the film love and affliction (remix)

(hidden track #11)

kiss(ra mix)

psycho magnet 2.0(sloppy sec.mix)

moby song. david lynch video "SHOT IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD"

Shot In The Back Of The Head from Moby on Vimeo.


good stuff for fans of either artist
i'm a long time fan of both, quite glad to see the collaboration.

globalWAVEsystem - "life equals death" (1993 intense records)

1 Soul Like Ice (1:52)
2 It Was Born There (3:01)
3 2CINC! (4:42)
4 Yukionna (5:40)
5 Warfare Prayer (4:20)
6 (To Live Is Christ) Commitment (7:24)
7 Life Equals Death (0:38)
8 It’s Only Natural (4:13)
9 Deathstroke To Youth (4:51)
10 X (5:20)
11 (So Fearful) I.G.S.E.B. (4:57)
12 CXLIII (5:55)
13 (Ears) Plug Out (3:56)
14 (Compassion) Deathstroke (4:44)

DOWNLOAD

eightball cholos - "satan's whore" (1996 morphine records)

from the ashes of 80's thrash metal band The Warning, came the seemingly short-lived Eightball Cholos. (apparently they also had an album late in the first decade of the 2000's)
this sample heavy cd always struck me as strange. i guess that shouldn't be that unexpected from a band fronted by a cat named 'Burrito".
two man thrash band with an odd sound and a definite experimental punk edge, the militant outsider christian agenda,some 90's industrial metal touches, the imagery and good but 'out of no where' guitar solos...
the construction of this thing still seems odd now as i listen to it over a decade later.  came with some stickers, which are great if your car seems too bare, of course they're also a great thing when propaganda is the name of the game.   anyway, here you go folks ...have a weird 70 minutes.

1. In My Blackest Hour
2. Exorcise My Soul
3. Cry For Love
4. Into the Bowels of Hell
5. Valley of Meggido
6. Movement of Deceit
7. Shattered Faith
8. Mountains of Dead Babies
9. Predators in the Pulpit
10. Satan's Whore
11. The Face That Has No Sin
12. Broken
13. They Don't Know Him
14. I Fall Down
15. Warfare
16. The Man

DOWNLOAD