AntiChildLeague - The Father

AntiChildLeague is the noise project of Gaya Donadio renowned for her tireless promotion of underground music live events in London under the banner of Hinoeuma the Malediction. The Father is their first full-length release and it's a varied outpouring of sounds concerning control, oppression and patriarchy. The Father flits between spoken word and instrumental noise pieces, rammed with samples. Gaya Donadio intones the lyrics; her heavily accented Italian voice, emphasizing key words and segments. The Father makes full use of rhythmic noise, looped under the barrage of noise and corrosive electronics, given a wonderful clarity by 6 Comm's Patrick Leagas aka Godlesstate who was responsible for the mixing and production here.

Much of The Father, however, falls into generic noise territory. The power noise of 'Overpopulate Destroy' with it morass of raging voices or 'Project The Self Absent Self' which takes in treated film samples over modulated shrieks and twisted dial tones, and the distorted bass rumbles, crackling textures of 'C From Far' don't stray too far from countless other power noise outfits. Where AntiChildLeague come into their own is on the lyric based tracks where Donadio takes the central role. 'Gate To Heaven Entry To Hell' is a wonderful opening shot with its repetitive looped beats, buzzing slabs of noise and heavily processed vocals.

Even when AntiChildLeague step down the pace as they do on 'Occult Purity' with its churning looped beats, sinister live buzz tones and Donadio's continuous demands to "Set yourself free" they retain a tension fuelled edge. 'E-Man' follows similar territory, with Donadio throwing lines in an imposing manner, surrounded by corrosive sweeps of noise. It's another effective moment from this female-fronted noise assault. Both pale in comparison to 'Only One Mother', where above crackling textures, Donadio reveals the true face of mother nature: a brutal, unflinching, cruel matriarch. A mother of life and death. "She is the Devil", Donadio mischievously whispers with a wicked glint in her eye.

It all ends on a shrieking power electronics affair, with distorted aggro-vocals reduced to a repeated, spitting of the title, 'Burn The Cross'. In a world of male-dominated noise acts AntiChildLeague could easily have attempted to redress the balance, instead they offer up their own take and own themes. The Father is all the better for it. For more information go to www.hagshadow.net