Murderous Vision / Kuru - Blood-Brain Barrier

Blood-Brain Barrier is the latest release from America's Somnambulant Corpse label who specialise in high quality short run CD-Rs of post-industrial and dark ambient musics. Blood-Brain Barrier brings together two of the harsher names from their stable.

The opener from Murderous Vision offers rhythmic industrial but it's soon blown away by the abrasive 'A Body Left At The Corrigated Dock' as it lambastes the listener with high pitched screeches and electronic tremors. Voices are obscured throughout the Murderous Vision tracks and pushed to the back of the mix allowing the dark oppressive atmosphere to prevail. In many ways they're applying old school power electronic techniques to dark ambient soundscapes, although the frenzied approach of '4th Day Stench' and 'Baby - It Ain't No Sin' offer little respite. Those of a particular persuasion may get off on these noise excursions while many will find them simply redundant.

Kuru's dark soundscapes are far more palatable. Their twisted vision is eschewed through electronic textures that are less dense, and as a result carries greater impact. And on this abrasive split CD it really is a case of less is more. For more information go to www.somnambulantcorpse.com