Compulsion | PO Box 19577 | Kilbarchan |Johnstone | PA10 2WX | Scotland | UK
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Items for review: Compulsion, PO Box 19577, Kilbarchan, Johnstone, PA10 2WX, Scotland, UK

HTRK - Marry Me Tonight
Released in 2009 and recorded well before that, Marry Me Tonight is the first full length album from the Australian trio HTRK, pronounced Hate Rock, and it's a solid and engaging listen. The entire album is taken up with cold, lumbering basslines, taut clinical drum rhythms, and abstract guitar lines. The sullen almost ambivalent voice of Jonnine Clementine Standish holds it all together with a detached aloofness. For the most part, Marry Me Tonight plays out on something close to a post-rock sound with a strong sexual element. "Pull your panties down a little more, get on your knees, on all fours ..." she asks dispassionately on 'Panties' over rabid guitar frenetics. Or on 'Rent Boy': "You are there on the floor, unbutton my shirt, I've had a hard day..." .

The cold, clinical sexual themes are matched with a cold, clinical sound, particularly due to the repetitious bass patterns and looped drum rhythms. Marry Me Tonight rarely strays from their core template. Everything seems to hang from the bass and drum rhythms. Guitars are reduced to short bursts of jagged textures or flourishes of lush rippling notes, which appear to pick up on Keith Levene's work in PiL. Standish is supremely nonchalant in her icy coolness. Only the melodies of 'Rent Boy' and 'Fascinator' go within touching distance of a pop melody. When they do expand the sound, as on 'Shoot You Up' they pit funky bass against incessant industrial rhythms, bringing the entire thing closer to label mates Pan Sonic. HTRK cast their influences wide. The spidery guitar flourishes and looped drum machine rhythms of 'Kiss Before The Fall' even recall cold eighties goth music. The late Rowland S. Howard co-produced this with Lindsay Gravina. And the former Crime and the City Solution, These Immortal Souls and Birthday Party member sprinkles Marry Me Tonight with his customary skulking abrasive guitar work on 'Ha', 'Panties' and 'Disco'. HTRK don't fall back on pastiche though Marry Me Tonight is injected with an appealing doom laden lethargy that is all their own.

This is a knowingly provocative record in terms of musical influences and themes which they play out on their own terms. Sean Stewart the young bass player whose sound underpinned much of these tracks died unexpectedly earlier this year, so how HTRK evolve from now remains unclear but Marry Me Tonight, which we just received from Blast First Petite, is well worth your time. For more information go to www.blastfirstpetite.com

Moon Unit - Hell Horse and Heady Stratus
Don't be fooled by the extended krautrock intro of pulsing cosmic synths and noodling guitar that opens up Hell Horse and Heady Stratus, the second album from Moon Unit. The Solar Skull' soon sky rockets into the first of many guitar freakouts from this Glasgow based psych-noise trio, featuring Ruaraidh Sanachan (Nackt Insecten), Andreas Jonsson (Lanterns) and drummer Peter Kelly. If drums and keyboards are restrained here, they're clearly not on 'Mother's Ruin'. Against a heavy elongated drone and wild crashing drums the guitars here come over all piercing and shredded. The entire piece is a forceful noise jam.

Moon Unit's psychedelic noise improvisations teeter at the edges of a rock sound but like the best psych-noises outfits this bassless trio never fall into structure preferring formless excursions. There's little let-up on 'Too Many Blues' a spontaneous screech-fest of shredding guitars and rampant drumming, while 'Ten Horse Hairs' offers something of a comedown with its spacious drones. Things really come together again with the cosmic synths and floor-scraping guitars of 'Earth Collision', the entire thing combusting spectacularly into a black hole of sound.

Moon Unit are definitely onto something, as Hell Horse and Heady Stratus features some of the finest psych-noise improvisations I've heard in a long time. Hell Horse and Heady Stratus is released on heavy virgin vinyl in an edition of 500 copies with stunning full-colour totemic artwork from Jake Blanchard. For more information go to www.blackest-rainbow.moonfruit.com

Psychic TV/PTV3 - Alien Brain Vs Maggot Brain
From Hyperdelic to psychedelic. Recorded after their final European tour, 'Alien Brain' is reinterpreted from the Psychic TV/PTV3 album Mr Alien Brain vs The Skinwalkers into psychedelic territory with a massive careering guitar freak-out courtesy of Jeff Berner and pared down vocal histrionics from Genesis Breyer P-Orridge. On Mr Alien Brain vs The Skinwalkers Psychic TV took on tracks from Syd Barret and the Velvet Underground, flip it over this time and it's Funkadelic's 'Maggot Brain' that gets the PTV3 treatment. Breyer P-Orridge slaps down an original lyric, focussing on - life and - death. Unsurprisingly the loss of his partner Lady Jaye hangs heavy here, though it's really the stunning guitarwork that takes centre stage here. Naturally it doesn't hit the heights and lows of Eddie Hazel's work of the original, though I'm amused by the connection to the Process Church of the Final Judgement. The popular stance is probably to disparage this but this is pretty good rockin' stuff and much further "out there" than much of the recent PTV3 material. Limited to 500 copies on splattered pink and white vinyl. For more information go to www.vanitycaserecords.com

Steven Severin - Sleepercell
Since leaving Siouxsie and the Banshees Steven Severin's musical output has largely been devoted to soundtracks for performance and film. This CD EP for Lumberton Trading Company is something of a diversion. Using the secret shortwave radio broadcasts of the covert number stations Sleepercell contains some of the most abstract sounds from the former Banshees member. The title track, 'Sleepercell', is comprised from a series of shortwave radio transmission of numbers and a tone generated melody, set against a slow arching atmospheric whoosh. It is a true electronic composition. The second track 'Sleepercell Awakes' once again uses shortwave radio broadcasts, this time with a series of disjointed numbers relayed against rhythmic beats and a limbering bassline which is almost drum and bass. The entire piece loaded with secret codes is cut with a feeling of dub fuelled paranoia. With soft plumes of synths and a gentle melody, the final piece 'Countercode' closes this three-track twenty minute CD with an absorbing soundtrack styled piece. Released in a special recycled cardboard sleeve with insert in an edition of 500 copies Sleepercell clearly illustrates the musical versatility of Steven Severin. The first 100 copies come in a stickered gatefold sleeve with an exclusive signed and numbered insert. For more information go to www.lumberton-trading.com

Sub Luna - Awake
Awake is the second album from Sub Luna, a Swedish duo who at the time of recording comprised Mikael Lindblom and Fredrik Sööberg. This is quietly subdued dark folk, competently performed on plain acoustic guitars with laconic breathy vocals. The opening tracks pick up on Current 93 and Death In June- the almost Michael Cashmore stylings of the opener 'When We Did Rejoice' and 'A Wakening' whose warm gentle strum is closer to Death In June. On Awake Sub Luna manage to stretch the template in their own way. For a start the lead vocals are split between the two members, and a full drum kit appears to be used rather than just toms and cymbals - an approach so favoured by dark folk outfits. Awake traverses into other areas too. Just listen to the melodic pop sounds of 'A Distance Between'. Its lazy hushed vocals remind me of late period Jesus and Mary Chain, the acoustic guitars bound with electric guitar chords and organ swirl. It's the kinda thing that Rose McDowall does so well. An electric lead snakes through the familiar strum of 'Fading With Time'.

These forays are too few and far between though and Awake, which does draw from a broad range of influences, remains solidly within the dark folk genre. 'A Song For My Lady Before The Snow' carries a strong sixties folk feel, its rhythmic vocal delivery matching the sprightly pluck and strum swept away by rolling drums. Ann-Mari Thim of Arcana supplies harmonious backing vocals to the melodic piano and acoustic sounds of 'The Silence Broken'. 'Nightfall' merges vibrant strum and rolling drums with passages of whispered voice and light touches of guitar. Much more mournful in its presentation is 'On Fallen Stars' its lulling guitars accompanied by a weeping trumpet score.

It's perhaps telling that my favourite moments on Awake are 'A Distance Between' and 'On Fallen Stars'. Since recording Awake Fredrik Sööberg has left, leaving Mikael Lindblom as the sole member. Awake is a solid and competent release of dark folk, and marks the inaugural release on Cyclic Law's new Eclipse imprint. For more information go to www.cycliclaw.com

TenHornedBeast - Hunts & Wars
On The Sacred Truth and My Horns Are A Flame To Draw Down The Truth Christopher Walton as TenHornedBeast crafted a sound so bleak and desolate you might wonder how they could evolve. With greater emphasis on bass and percussion, it's clear that Hunts & Wars is an altogether different beast. On this their third album they present three shorter interludes to the four expansive tracks, each offering a lighter tone to the dank, oppressive sound prevalent of their previous releases.

Having said that the opener here, 'Reaching For The Stars We Blind The Sky', is definitely one of TenHornedBeast's finer moments, with its dark arching drone and controlled guitar feedback that makes up their doom sonic sound. Here a funereal procession of drums bashes out a primal beat that continuously becomes more thunderous amidst cymbal crashes and heavy bass drones. TenHornedBeast's guitar drone carries the torturous squall of eighties guitar noise bands such as Skullflower, even though at the hands of TenHornedBeast it is reduced to a slower-than-slow sluggish crawl.

Unlike their previous releases, percussion plays a pivotal role on Hunts & Wars. It's most evident on 'I Am The Spearhead' where rhythmic wrenching gives way to cymbal crashing and pounding beats. It's almost as if Walton has swapped drones for rhythms to create the layers. Even the tones of the guitar drones are forever changing. Tracks are more structured too. Stark but effective in its simplicity is 'Father of the Frosts' where lumbering bass notes are surrounded by heavy distorted chords. Cymbals crash and controlled feedback drones are added bowing out on a series of gongs. This is TenHornedBeast at their most skeletal.

Previous TenHornedBeast releases by their nature have been pretty bleak affairs - and that's an observation not a criticism - but Hunts & Wars is far more structured in terms of composition and flow. The inclusion of short musical interludes is highly effective offering Christopher Walton the opportunity to step away from the inherent malevolence to produce tracks much lighter in tone. On 'Hilnaric' the twittering of birds is set against a brooding soundscape. It carries a heavy sense of anticipation; a foreboding atmosphere that draws images of a desolate battlefield where something is afoot. It makes me think of the pastoral fields of Michael Reeves' quintessentially English horror movie Witchfinder General; of an English countryside charged with an impending evil. 'Ironborn' is more martial; a muffled fanfare of horns and percussion that sounds like an army of soldiers beating their shields. With its lulling melodic keys unfolding gently over aching drones 'Cimmeria' is the tenderest of tracks to emanate from the claws of the TenHornedBeast. Like much of Hunts & Wars it takes its inspiration from Robert E. Howard, the creator of Conan the Barbarian, to whom the album is dedicated.

Hunts & Wars closes with the epic title track where washes of atmospheric guitar drone are wrapped around a low loping bass shudder. Gaining in power and volume this twenty minute piece rises and falls with the sound of a gong being struck. Drones veer from layers of blackened noise to a golden shimmer eventually dissipating entirely as the entire piece slips into a short slumber. Reawakened 'Hunts & Wars' then closes with a renewed vigour.

Hunts & Wars goes way beyond dark ambient, its shorter interludes add shading to the pitch-black atmospherics. It remains resolutely a product of the TenHornedBeast. The structure created from percussion and low-end bass could easily attract doom-drone listeners. Three albums in and they've carved a niche of their own and Hunts & Wars is yet another stunning release from TenHornedBeast. For more information go to www.coldspring.co.uk

David Wells - Rojo
Rojo is the first release I've heard from Edinburgh based drone musician David Wells since his contribution to Paul Bradley's droneworks series. Rojo comprises two tracks with 'One', a slow-mo stretching drone, with a gradual ebb and flow, each wave drawing you further into its immersive layers. There's a lightness here with its stately reverbed tones echoing the sound of a church organ, almost. The original release was confined to one lengthy piece; this reissue separates the track into two, with the second piece prefaced with some stuttering electronics, quietly subsumed by the developing and enveloping church organ like drone. There's less reliance on repeated layers on 'Two', preferring a constant shimmer that continually grows. Wells' doesn't embellish the music here allowing the slow swell of the music to gradually transform and captivate. This second edition of Rojo is limited to 50 copies on CD-R with numerous inserts. For more information go to www.davidwells.freeuk.com

Death In June return with the stunning Peaceful Snow album. Aided by Slovakian pianist Miro Snejdr, the album features 13 new 'Totenpop Torchsongs'. Peaceful Snow is available on CD with the first 3000 copies of the specially Runic whiphand 6 debossed Softpak CD version also containing a limited edition CD of 17 Death In June classics instrumentally reinterpreted at Douglas P.'s request by pianist Miro Snejdr at his favourite Dirty Martini Studios in Bratislava, Slovakia The vinyl version is presented in a lavishly printed Totenkopf 6 debossed gatefold 10 inch sleeve, and comes in two editions; a set of two picture discs (1000 copies) and coloured vinyl (300 snow blue and 700 snow white). All copies of the vinyl come with a large folded poster. Peaceful Snow is also available on a custom made 1 GB USB Flash drive. The USB version features the album in FLAC and MP3 format, plus two extra instrumental tracks, photographs from all versions, three exclusive videos, plus selected lyrics. The USB itself will be a Black circular key-like design with a White Totenkopf 6 Death In June logo on one side and a Red Whiphand 6 Death In June logo on the other. The first 100 will be a limited numbered edition and come in a special circular tin box the diameter of a CD. For more information go www.deathinjune.net or www.soleilmoon.com

Chris and Cosey embark on a reissue program this month with four of their albums from the eighties being re-released on vinyl. Heartbeat and Trance are available now, with Songs of Love & Lust and Exotika to follow in January. All albums have been remastered by Chris Carter from the original master tapes. Each of the four albums is presented on different coloured vinyl, in a specially 'remastered' sleeve which also includes a 12-inch B/W double-sided insert of archive photos, clippings and texts. For more information go to www.cartertutti.com

Sadly Patrick Leagas of 6Comm has announced that their recent performance in Mannheim, Germany is to be the final 6Comm concert in mainland Europe. Writing at www.hagshadow.net/6comm Leagas said: "Since I returned several years ago I have released all the unfinished work from the past and have played live tracks that have never been aired before. I'm very happy with that."

6Comm will have a Last Farewell at the Slimelight, London on June 25 2011. This will be a limited show for only 166 people with special guests and support bands.

The final 6Comm album, Hexad, will be released by Trisol next year. Hexad features previously unreleased and rerecorded versions of his very early work such as 'Doubt to Death (Nothing)', 'State Laughter', 'Last Farewell' along with tracks that did not make it onto Headless and Like Stukas Angels Fall. An audio interview backed by music will also be included. Recent footage and live recordings may be used to compile a live album.

Details of a new major project from Patrick Leagas will be issued as and when. In the meantime Patrick Leagas will continue with Schräge Musik as an outlet for his interest in the history, campaigns, characters and battles of WW2. Their first release, Eternity which is a split single with AntiChildLeague is available now. Their next release Schräge In Italia will be a four track CD with tracks concerning the Gran Sasso affair, Monte Cassino, and a new recording of the 6Comm track 'Salerno Carousel'. For more information go to www.myspace.com/schragemusik or www.hagshadow.net/6comm

Wounded Galaxies Tap at The Window the fantastic new album from Cyclobe is out now. Ossian Brown and Stephen Thrower are joined on this release by the musicians Michael J York, Cliff Stapleton, John Contreras and Thighpaulsandra. Cover artwork is provided by American artist Fred Tomaselli. The album is initially available as a limited edition 180-gram vinyl pressing of 1000 copies only, released on the Phantomcode label . For more information go to www.cyclobe.com

Cold Spring Records are a busy as ever. They follow-up their folk compilation John Barleycorn Reborn with We Bring You A King With A Head Of Gold. This double CD set of music from the best of current British Folk artists features on CD1: Barron Brady, Cerunnos Rising, Corncrow, Dragon Spirit, Drohne, Emil Brynge, Kate Harrison, Kim Thompsett, Laienda, Magicfolk, Mama, Philip Butler & Natasha Tranter, Sproatly Smith, The Rowen Amber Mill, Tinkerscuss, Tony Wakeford, Touch The Earth and Wyrdstone. And on CD2: Autumn Grieve, Beneath The Oak, Demdyke, Ian McKone, Jennifer Crook, John Parker, Rattlebag, Relig Oran, Richard Masters, Ruby Throat, Sedayne : Sundog, Telling The Bees, The Fates, The Hare And The Moon, The Kittiwakes and Venereum Arvum.

Machinefabriek follow-up their Das release on Cold Spring with Vloed, a collection of (slightly edited) live performances, recorded between 2006 and 2008 in Amsterdam and Den Haag. Beautifully remastered with a 20-minute bonus track, Vloed captures the immersive live experience of a Machinefabriek concert. Vloed is presented in a stunning matt digipak with modified artwork.

The Cold Spring reissue program for Swedish black industrialists MZ. 412 kicks off this month with Vault, an ultra collector's boxset contains all 5 albums in the MZ. 412 reissue series: In Nomine Dei Nostri Satanas Luciferi Excelsi, Burning The Temple Of God, Nordik Battle Signs, Domine Rex Inferum and Infernal Affairs. The inventors of "Black Industrial" blur the boundaries between Black Metal, Ritual Industrial, Dark Ambient and Power Noise. Vault features the 5 digipak albums, along with exclusive pin-badge, tie, artcards and other surprises! Housed in a black wooden boxset with silver print and clasp.

Available separately is In Nomine Dei Nostri Satanas Luciferi Excelsi the 1995 album of MZ. 412. In Nomine... captures the darkest sides of Satanism, death and ritual sacrifice. An enduring, blasphemous statement of True Swedish Black Industrial. This remastered version features two previously unreleased tracks, alternate versions and all new artwork. Housed in a matt digipak with spot varnishing.

Forthcoming is the Themes 6CD boxset from Psychic TV, bringing together all the Themes albums released by Psychic TV. The box set includes Themes 1, which was originally released in 1982 as a limited bonus LP with the first 5000 copies of the legendary Psychic TV album Force The Hand Of Chance. Themes 2, originally released on LP in 1985 by Temple Records and subsequently reissued as an extended CD version by Cold Spring in 1997, is presented here as a 2 CD set, including the full vinyl version plus all tracks from the original Unclean 12-inch. Themes 3, originally released on vinyl in 1986 by Temple Records, has been remastered and appears on CD for the first time. Themes 3 is presented here as a 2 CD set, with an unheard version performed in Boston, US by Genesis P-Orridge and John Gosling. Themes 4 is a brand new Psychic TV album, recorded by the late partner of Genesis P-Orridge, Lady Jaye and Psychic TV. Mail order customers from Cold Spring will also receive an exclusive 7th CD of Psychic TV - Live in Basildon. For more information go to www.coldspring.co.uk

Psychic TV/PTV3 perform live at Club Europa, Brooklyn on December 9. The event entitled Alien Brain vs Maggot Brain - A Disconcert features performances from 4th Sign of the Apocalypse, Ariana Reines and Beaut. For more information go to www.genesisbreyerporridge.com

Nurse With Wound have a 7-inch released in two editions on Tourette Records. Rushkoff Coercion is available on purple vinyl and as a picture disc in a limited edition of 100 copies. Both editions come with a deluxe card fold out poster sleeve. For more information go to www.touretterecords.com

Dais Records release The Kraken from Andrew King and Brown Sierra. The Kraken is a follow-up EP to last year's album Thalassocracy. The Kraken sounds like a traditional maritime shanty ripped from history's pages, laced with experimental beauty, electronic hisses, and static. Andrew King is an English folk singer and a member of Sol Invictus and The Triple Tree, while Brown Sierra are an experimental project. The Kraken is limited to 500 hand-numbered copies on 12-inch vinyl. For more information go to www.daisrecords.com

Marc Almond is currently touring the UK with his 30 Year Celebration - My Hits And A Sides show. Little Annie accompanied by Baby Dee are the special guests on all dates. Performances start promptly so don't be late or you'll miss Little Annie! Dates are as follows:
November 11 - Cliffs Pavilion, Southend
November 12 - The Anvil, Basingstoke
November 13 - De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill on Sea
November 15 - St Davids Hall, Cardiff
November 19 - Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool
November 20 - The Lowry, Salford
November 22 - The Grand Theatre and Opera House, Leeds
November 23 - The Picturehouse, Edinburgh
November 24 - The ABC, Glasgow
November 25 - The Sage, Newcastle
November 28 - Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham
November 29 - Town Hall, Huddersfield
November 30 - Villa Marina, Isle of Man
December 2 - Shepherds Bush Empire, London
December 5 - The Assembly, Leamington Spa
For more information go to www.marcalmond.co.uk

Also on tour now - and not to be missed - are Michael Gira's revived Swans. Support for the following shows comes from James Blackshaw. Dates as follows:
November 23 - VERA, Gronignen, Netherlands
November 24 - Le Guess Who Fest at Tivoli de Helling, Utrecht, Netherlands
November 25 - AB, Brussels, Belgium
November 26 - Le Grande Mix, Lille, France
November 27 - 106 Club, Rouen, France
November 28 - BBMIX festival, Paris, France
November 30 - Le Phare, Toulouse, France
December 01 - Epicerie Modern, Lyon, France
December 02 - L'Usine, Geneva, Switzerland
December 03 - Musica90, Turin, Italy
December 04 - Locomotive Club, Bologna, Italy
December 05 - Piper Club, Roma, Italy
December 07 - Arena, Vienna, Austria
December 08 - Akropolis, Prague, Czech
December 09 - Firlej, Wroclaw, Poland
December 10 - Palladium Warsaw, Poland
December 12 - Kampnagel, Hamburg, Germany
December 13 - Volksbuehne, Berlin, Germany
More 2011 dates for Europe along with dates in Israel and the USA have been announced. For more information go to www.younggodrecords.com

Wire have announced details of their new album Red Barked Tree which is described as their most diverse and accomplished for many years. Red Barked Tree is released in January, with mail order customers receiving a free bonus EP Strays featuring live favourites which have never achieved greatness as recorded artefacts. A digital download of the release will be available in December. Live dates are being scheduled and full details will follow soon. For more information go to www.pinkflag.com

Cyclic Law release The Collective Works 2000 - 2003 a 4CD set from Sophia. Sophia was formed in 2000 by Peter Bjärgö of Arcana as a need to explore a harsher sonic terrain. Sophia was to become a very singular mix of pounding martial like drum patterns mixed with orchestral arrangements and deep atmospheric passages, which later revealed to be part of the foundation and inspiration to many of today's contemporary industrial artists. The Collective Works 2000 - 2003 features three albums Sigillum Militum, Herbstwerk, and Spite and three EPs Aus Der Welt, The Seduction Of Madness and Death Dumb And Blind. The Collective Works 2000 - 2003 is housed in a 6 panel A5 fold out cover with an 8 page booklet. The Collective Works 2000 - 2003 set follows the previously released 4CD set from Peter Bjärgö's other project Arcana. For more information go to www.cycliclaw.com

To celebrate 30 years Attrition release Dreamtime Collectors, an all new best of collection. Compiled by Martin Bowes, Dreamtime Collectors features 16 tracks including many rare versions of Attrition tracks. Dreamtime Collectors features a cover designed by Russian artist and film maker Edward 209 and is released on Metropolis Records. For more information go to www.metropolis-records.com

Attrition have a 30th anniversary show at the Slimelight, London on December 11th. For more information go to www.attrition.co.uk

Take a deep breath, there's many new releases from Steinklang. First up, the black metal releases. The Alpine black metal project Rauhnacht release Vorweltschweigen, an album full of Alpine battle hymns and grim martial anthems for mountain trolls. Vorweltschweigen is based on the lyrics and sounds of Sturmpercht, the creators of Alpine Folk music. Vorweltschweigen is released on CD in an oversized foldout cover with inlay and as an LP with gatefold cover in an edition of 500 copies. Vinterriket, another black metal outfit, return with Zwischen den Jahren, an atmospheric album that pairs cold chords and stirring hypnotic riffing with haunting and cold synthetic soundscapes. Zwischen den Jahren is released on CD in an oversized foldout-cover with inlays. More black metal comes from the underground outfit Orcrist who release Fallen. Fallen combines ice cold riffs with melancholic sounds, and features Goblin of ISVIND and Hugin of the Austrian band Uruk-Hai. Fallen is released on CD in transparent DVD-slimcase with inlay. The aforementioned Uruk-Hai have their 1999 demo, In Durins Hall, rearranged and remastered with totally new, epic and powerful soundscapes. In Durins Hall is released on CD in transparent DVD-slimcase with inlay.

And now the folk stuff. The Swiss Ur-folk group Fräkmündt release Uuufwärts e d'Föuse. Uuufwärts e d'Föuse takes the listener to untouched Alpine areas with the entire album sung in a Central-Swiss alemannic dialect. Now a quartet featuring Anneli of Eluveitie and Godnr.Universe the songs feature accordion, flute, guitars, hurdy gurdy. Uraungst is the debut album from Hrefnesholt bringing a mixture of dark, organic ambient, folk with a slight Black Metal touch and lyrics delivered in Austrian dialect reviving ancient tales of the Upper Austrian forests. Both Uuufwärts e d'Föuse and Uraungst are released in an oversized foldout cover with inlays. Arnica return with Numancia, a mCD based on the Celtiberian village where under siege from the Romans the inhabitants chose to take their own lives rather than be taken under control of the Roman Empire. Numancia features heathen tunes made up of drums and ritual elements with texts sung in Spanish and the ancient Celtiberian language.

Finally, Gerhard Hallstatt has compiled Oak Folk an album of Oak songs with an impressive list of contributors. Acts featured include Changes, Splinterskin, Klammheim , Waldteufel and many Steinklang artists including Sturmpercht, Fräkmündt, Arnica and Gerhard's own project Allerseelen. For more information go to www.steinklang-records.at

The Australian label Adeptsound have just released their first compilation CD, Bacterium b?k-tîr'?-?m. Amongst the twelve contributors are Cheapmachines, Column One, DDAA, The Psychogeographical Commission, Dieter Müh and Praying For Oblivion. Bacterium comes in a full colour 4-side Digipak cover, with 12-page full colour booklet and hand-numbered colour postcard in an edition of 300 copies. For more information go to www.adeptsound.net

The netlabel Bleak have just released Why be Blake when you can be Bleak? - The Bleak Compilation, a free downloadable compilation following in the tradition of The Elephant Table Album, Three Minute Symphony or Ohrenschrauben/Ohrensausen, presenting a mixture of difficult, at times disturbing and confusing music, totally apart from any mainstream intentions.

Why be Blake when you can be Bleak? - The Bleak Compilation brings together netlabel artists with renowned artists from the Industrial/Experimental genres, and plain legends from the early 80's Industrial scene.

The download package is the size of a 3CD-compilation, containing early unreleased tracks as well as exclusive versions of new material. The list of contributors are as follows: Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words, Konstruktivists, Attrition, Mushy, Cultural Amnesia, Sleep Chamber, The On/Off Corporation, Wave Tank, John Zewizz, Perikomo, Josco, Das Fleisch, FRzO, MRT, Portion Control, The Altai Chamber Orchestra, Coil, Choronzon, r.A.C.K, Red Chamber, Bath feat. OROBL, 53, Nocturnal Emissions, Background Projection, Paluch Y, Josco, Critical Theatre, Pure, Josef Nadek, Job Karma, Firnwald, Sean Derrick Cooper Marquardt, Cezary Gapik, Stormhat, Dr. Nachtstrom.

Why be Blake when you can be Bleak? - The Bleak Compilation features Jhonn Balance reciting the Coil manifesto, recorded exclusively for a Dutch radio show in 2001, old and new tracks from Cultural Amnesia, archive tracks from Portion Control, Konstruktivists, plus an alternate take of an Attrition track. Cover artwork is from Jonathan Canady of Deathpile. Bleak also offer free downloadable albums from Konstruktivists and Nocturnal Emissions. For more information go to www.bleak.at

Confession 2 featuring a night of experimental noise music takes place at the Grosvenor, Stockwell, London on December 2. Acts performing include Bizarre Uproar, MK9, Iron Fist Of The Sun, Content Nullity, Skat Injector, Cities Prepare for Attack! and AntiChildLeague/Silent Abuse. For more information go to www.myspace.com/confessionlondon

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