DOWN * IV Part 1 - Purple EP

DOWN * IV Part 1 - Purple EP

(2012)

Finally after a long sleep, they rise again with this 6 song slab of an EP. It's good to see them active again as a whole and creating such thick riffs, but to be honest, I wasn't completely impressed with the outcome of the EP. I realize that may be blasphemy to a lot of folks, but I can only speak for myself and how music affects me. I read in an interview that Phil spoke of doing solid EPs instead of full length albums with filler tracks, and I was excited at that thought. But even with a 6 song EP, there are still tracks that don't hit home and just fill in the space to call it an album. I even grow weary of Phils vocal approach, which hasn't really changed since NOLA with the gruff mumbling repeating what he just said or sang, dead horse kicking kind of stuff.

This EP has a couple saving graces and down right heavy, raunchy, dirty riffs, but for me this doesn't have it, but am looking forward to the next installment in the EP saga.

Sickness - Voyeurism

SICKNESS

Voyeurism

(Mp3-CD)

Here we have dense high-end tonal destruction and pleasant aural torture. Laced with guttural rumblings over-shadowed with squelch, signal bleeps, tweaks and other harsh signal calamity that is being pushed to extreme limits. Loosely woven within this mish-mosh of harsh electronics are samples and mid-ranged frequencies along with some loops and screams thrown in for fun.

A little history...

I started Scabies, roughly around 1999/2000, and then was a small run xerox zine exploring the realms of Grindcore, Metal, Black Metal, Experimental, what have you. The reviews were written by a band-mate at the time and myself, I took the noise releases to review due to it being more my cup of tea. The zine was called Scabies because most people that ended up with scabies were generally unclean, and people don't think well of metal and noise, and thought of those who listened to it to be scurge of the Earth, so it was fitting to name it after music for the unclean.

The zine only lasted a couple issues before becoming an online zine. It was easier and could update as I had time. After a while, time wasn't there much. I had a job, 2 full time bands, a noise project and a microlabel that I was neck deep into. My business kept me from fulfilling some material that was sent, and for that I apologize. I had too much on my plate and every intention to review everything that came through, whether I liked it or not.

Now a days, I tend to have a little more time and want to start fresh and take my time. I was recently inspired by a couple of people who write very well of others music and sounds, so thanks Phillip and Chavez.

If interested in having material reviewed, feel free to message me at http://www.facebook.com/ScabiesMagazine and I'll give you more info as to where to send your material.

Thanks!

Amps For Christ
Thorny Path
(Vermiform)

It's really hard to explain this, but it's wacked out awesome, a lot of musical quality and familiar aspects bleeding in of Bastard Noise. It goes into many different directions, it has a strong folk aspect and with all of the equipment being handmade, it has a very organic distorted sound. A lot of the ideas behind this album are well thought out and executed. Ranges from biblical references to a more philosophical feel. Great!