Prurient - The Black Post SocietyProlific would be the best way to describe Prurient over the past few years. Under the control of Dominik Fernow Prurient have had a steady stream of releases, which shows no sign of abating. Fernow has proven to be a persuasive interviewee, more than able to put a palatable spin on his noise excursions.On The Black Post Society Prurient use the tools of power electronics. Quite appropriately 'Wooden Weapons' even sounds like Whitehouse. Yet The Black Post Society, the first full release I've heard from Prurient, proves to be much more varied in its noise output, and even with the latent sexual elements, Prurient's lyrics are much more subtle and personal. The intent is to create an atmosphere of tension and unease rather than to provoke outrage or incite shock. The noise assault of 'Specter of a Child' fizzes with Fernow's shredded vocal set amongst sparks of metallic lacerations, and bows out with high-pitch feedback squeals. A keyboard melody plays in the background. 'Forever Hate' is much more in the vein of dark ambient electronics with its rhythmic undertow and sombre keyboard melody. Slight jolts of feedback surround the voice, itself heavily effected by microphone distortion, as Fernow speaks the words in a voice not unlike Boyd Rice. Likewise the careering noise assault of 'Egyptian Bondage' with Fernow's calm intonations is yet another NON like entity. 'Rose Comet' is one of the more intriguing tracks on The Black Post Society. The vocal distortion offers permutations of lyrics that in the first part appear to relate to Marilyn Monroe, while the second part namechecks the Birkenau concentration camp. It's an intense track opening up with fluttering electronics before passing into surging layers of electronic drone, with some effective close microphoned paper crumpling. 'Domina Milking' whips up a storm with its noise barrage and symphonic backing as the voice erupts with a ferocious intensity. The entire thing sounds like a black metal intro. With its distorted voice, crunchy low-end electronics and high-pitch shrieks 'Wooden Weapons' is an example of vintage industrial power electronics. Like early Whitehouse it even carries a sexual punchline. There's a sinister undercurrent to 'Mask of the Boys' with Fernow's imposing whisper nestled amongst the tortured electronics. His voice rises to a sadistic scream as he spits out the title before returning to a distorted whisper. The screaming carries over into 'Months Lengthened Into Years' with a quaking, throbbing underlay that slips into looped fuzz guitar while the rhythms slip into disarray. The Black Post Society is undoubtedly a noise record, carrying elements of dark ambient and enough new tricks to satiate the hardened noise listener. Its broad range of composition will no doubt make them more amenable to non-hardcore noise fans. Who knows whether Prurient will breakout of the noise underground, but Dominik Fernow as Prurient could easily find himself poster boy for today's noise generation. For more information go to www.coldspring.co.uk |