MERZBOW
Electric Salad (?label?)
Reviewed by Jason Thornberry

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It is absolutely mind-boggling how this guy manages to put sooooo much stuff out. I was in a record shop the other day, and saw three new releases by him, and they were probably only a handful of what has come out this year! Electric Salad is more of a movement, than a batch of songs. Interesting cover photo taken, apparently in some kind of sex museum. The back cover shot looks like his bedroom. Three tracks total: Prologue, Electric Salad, and Metallic Fever Echo. Prologue sort of gives you a chance to get your brain ready for the title piece, which at 60 minutes in length, will test not only your will-power, but your speakers as well. Metallic Fever Echo is ten more minutes of shifting, throbbing noise, that will make your landlord knock on your door. "You okay in there?" If this artist is new to you, Merzbow (AKA Masmi Akita) is the composer of noise, spear-headed in Japan by Masonna, Aube, the Incapacitants, Hanatarash, Solmania, Violent Onsen Geisha, Love & Sincerity, and himself. It is an excellent way to blow expand a persons mind who’s sick of emo, rave, punk, rap-metal, or anything else. Totally free of melody and structure, noise is the final frontier of recorded sound, and you could knock down a few buildings with this.

© 2000 - Jason Thornberry