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Genre: Harsh Noise
Label: Independent

The title says it all. Ezcaton has returned to ruin your speakers and totally fuck up your preconceptions.
Opening with the awesome song “Sweet Melody”, the most obviously musical song by Ezcaton that I’ve heard, Harsh Noise Torture Porn could be the soundtrack to a journey through the mind of a very disturbed man.
But as long as you don’t use flash photography on the journey, you should be (mostly) safe.
Harsh noise, as a genre, is definately a niche market music. It’s like drone in that if you don’t get it at first, you won’t get it at second. Or third.
Auditorily violent, with sounds like crunching glass, super distorted guitar, and anything else that can make noise, Ezcaton takes the genre’s conventions and seems to find a way to make it a little more musical. There is sometimes a sense of structure to it, but in the epic 41 minute title track, that goes out the window too. It has parts that sound like R2D2 on crack and parts that sound like Armageddon; it’s fucking awsome.
Personally, I liked the previous release, Eschatology, a little more but Harsh Noise… still nets a 7 out of 10. The screws and cork sheet covered CD case is also a gorgeous touch, as is the tracklisting insert.
All very fitting for the death of your speakers.

Genre: Harsh Noise
Label: Independent

I love MySpace. Really, I do. I have been able to connect and meet with some really fucking cool people. And Danilo Montagna is one of them. From Italy, Danilo is behind the moniker Ezcaton, producing some really harsh sounding noise. He and I traded CD’s, and this is a review of his, entitled Eschatology, which I quote from the Ezcaton MySpace page: “Eschatology: (from the Greek…Eschatos meaning “last” and – logy meaning “the study of”) is a part of theology and philosophy concerned with what is believed to be the final events in the history of the world, or the ultimate destiny of humanity, commonly referred to as the end of the world. While in mysticism the phrase refers metaphorically to the end of ordinary reality and reunion with the Divine, in many traditional religions it is taught as an actual future event prophesied in sacred texts or folklore. More broadly, eschatology may encompass related concepts such as the Messiah or Messianic Age, the end time, and the end of days.”

The title is somewhat fitting, as when I was listening to the CD I felt I was hearing what the end of the world would sound like. The album opener, “Inside”, is a short intro to a hellishly well crafted disc. If you listen closely, you can hear rhythms, instruments, and vocals, but it’s so ingeniously mixed into a static-y sound that at first listen all you hear is… well… noise. The same goes for the rest of the five songs.
Featuring two epics (“The End of the Animal World” and “Creation”) at fourteen minutes in length, a long song (“Titan’s Dance”, 8:17), and a pair of mid-length pieces (“Sexual Parasite” at 4:38 and “Bondage Dream” at 4:24), Ezcaton has created a fairly long e.p. that is engaging and thought provoking.
Not to mention fucking good.
I’m new to the harsh noise genre in general, and Ezcaton is my first real taste of it. And I like it, and I think that anyone who is into extremely experimental music and noise should check it out. Unfortunately, however, it is extremely limited; only 32 copies are being made. The packaging is also ingenious, being a slim DVD case with sandpaper (very fitting with the album!) on the covers. All coming in a handy plastic slip sleeve. There is also a card inside with the track listing on one side and what would be the album cover if it was conventionally packaged. You’ll see what I mean with the image below.

So basically, I give Eschatology a total 8 out of 10. It’s kicked ass since my first listen, and I’ve listened to it a lot since I first got it.

Ezcaton on MySpace.

Genres: Pornogrind
Label: Ukragh Productions

This is a split between two bands, both performing the same genre of music, but both have different styles. Epicrise have a more higher pitched sound in general, in vocals, guitar, all of it, while Ballgag are bass heavy and more violent sounding. If you’re a fan of pornogrind, check out this split. It’ll be a classic of the genre. Favorite Epicrise tracks are “With a Finger to the Mouth”, “A Girl With The Scrotum”, and “Extreme Noise Epicrise”. Favorite Ballgag tracks are “Slut Chunks”, “20 Inch Rimjobs”, and “Meat and Greet”.
7 out of 10 for both, thus the total is 7 out of 10.

Genres: Gothic Metal
Label: Napalm Records

Right from the start of the disc I was impressed with the huge sound.
The opener “Core of Life” is a fast as lightning track witha a nice and groovy slower midsection, almost doomy in it’s riffs. Vocally, Sandra Schleret is perfectly exemplifying gothic metal, with a mid to high operatic style.
This continues on into “Twinkling Shadow”, whose first riff will rip your face off with it’s chugging, Maiden-esq gallop. Tom Saxer makes his presence known in this track too, his voice a deep growl.
The choruses all follow classic metal and gothic metal traditions, with a solid riff, soaring vocals, and fist pumping emotion.
Slower gothy tunes are here too, bringing everything back to earth for a nice headbanging session.
And I feel like a fucking broken record here. This part is where I might tell you who this band is perfect for. And here, again, I must simply state: if you’re a fan of pretty much any of the female-fronted bands on Napalm Records, you’ll like this disc. Sirenia, Trail of Tears, and Draconian fans: you’ll feel at home here.
8 out of 10.