Steel Hook Prostheses "Controlled Sense of Decay" 3" CD
[NCC]
I haven't heard much from this project, but I've known for some time that I need to remedy that, and this 20-minute EP nails that point home with four great tracks of dark ambient/death industrial that mesh rumbling low-end drones with lots of atmospheric distortion and heavily treated vocals. Opener "Forced Plastic Surgery" is the longest track at nearly six minutes, starting off with a repetitious sample before stripping down to cascading hums and deeply mixed vocals that are completely indecipherable behind a wall of reverberated effects and mild distortion. "Trepanation" follows by opening with a slow build of pulsing bass tones and sizzling midrange that adds a really sinister vibe to the piece. The vocals in this one are a little more distinct in volume when they peak, but they're even harder to understand: Pitch-shifted, rising and falling in presence, shitloads of chorus/vibrato, etc. I actually think the effects used over the vocals are a little too overbearing in this piece, since I love the backing textures, but it's not too much of a distraction. "Untold Atrocities" is a dense wall of sound, coming across as thicker and using lightly filtered samples in the distance, thinning out in certain areas as some fleeting back and forth motions pan across the composition. Then "Violent Wand" closes and lets filtered samples play a larger role, with only distant drones seeping into the lower levels before harsher distorted vocals take control. The vocal performance in this outing is more rhythmic and consistent, achieving a classic power electronics sort of aesthetic without coming across as too in your face or overpowering, which is a nice touch. The disc comes in a plastic sleeve with a simple cover and a pin of the band logo. The artwork keeps it minimal and gets the job done, but like some of the others in this series it's a little lacking compared to the force of the music. The back of the insert is hand-numbered of only 50 copies, and I imagine they'll sell out quickly, if they haven't already, so... act now if you're interested. (7/10)
Running time - 20:00, Tracks: 4
[Notable tracks: Forced Plastic Surgery, Untold Atrocities]
NCC Records - http://www.ncc-records.com

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