This Minneapolis based project carries on the path of uncompromising and solidly harsh noisy experiences. The soundscaping vein is utterly bleak, apocalyptic with massive industrial sections, droned-out textures and brutally black ambiences.
With a release of a handful of tapes under a DIY approach Gnawed remains faithful to the rigorous underground tradition of the industrial-power electronic music scene. The project also recorded a couple of albums in standard CD format notably for Malignant Records back in 2014. The new effort is also welcomed by Malignant as a limited physical edition.
This Minneapolis based project carries on the path of uncompromising and solidly harsh noisy experiences. The soundscaping vein is utterly bleak, apocalyptic with massive industrial sections, droned-out textures and brutally black ambiences. The opening theme is a claustrophobic and greatly isolationist track which reveals the mysterious sonic facet of the project. “Serpent in the River of the Arms of God” presents a sonorous adventure between grimy electronics and clattering industrial noises. A track such as “Perdition” explores ominously static dronescapes punctuated by vocal effects and enveloped by corrosive industrial field recordings. An effective balance between abstract hypnotic electro tendencies and crushing sound industrialism which is rarely reached in the genre.
So all in all the album is cohesive, beautifully detailed, reasonably weird with moments of spooky dreaminess. For listeners of experimental (electronic) music Pestilence Beholden can be appreciated as an exceptionally caustic, raw and deep industrial noise album. This one will also ravish listeners of IRM, Theologian, Genocide Organ and those who dig early materials from Yen Pox and Brigther Death Now.
Pestilence Beholden is available on Malignant.
