'Svartvit/Slakkengang'
(Monomentum Collective records)
MARK: 80/100
Despite the tricky Extreme Metal-styled logo, Svartvit deal with an instrumental composition, "In Pouring Rain" that starts as Dark Ambient reminding the worst nightmarish visions of demons or other supernatural beings in the vein of Nordvargr, to which soon a layer of Harsh Noise alà Merzbow and Subklinik is added. While mid-frequency noises are constant, there are additional bass- and high-frequency interventions aimed at perforating and scratching our eardrums, with particular reference to the final ones, shrieks mixed louder to emphasize the crescendo of the intensity at the end of these five minutes that flew as if they were two and a half. This piece is absolutely well-written because it really makes you feel you've entered one of the Circles of Hell described in Dante's "Inferno", although it's not nearly as scary as Nitrous Flesh and the likes.
Slakkengang present five tracks: "Mijn Wall", 17 seconds of fast Hardcore and Powerviolence devoid of vocals. "Idolatie", displaying a propedeutic HC mid-tempo riff, then Grind structures with raw Black Metal vocals, and a brief intermezzo of controlled Hardcore. "Angst-konijn" starts tight, then a riff shows a pondering rhythm variation, so as to take back the initial rapid part in the conclusion. "(W)" has the Tilburg duo kick off with a slightly distorted guitar, replaced by the usual Black/Grind fury during the blastbeats and sand-paper Screamo singing; only at the end do the guitars sound closer to brutal Hardcore similarly to the opener or simply old-school Straight Edge. "Elle Verde" is a Grindcore chip putting the seal to the 7".
Furthermore, there is another untitled song available online from the split sessions: it contains the typical Grind spree as well as a melodic part where barbaric screams contrast until a typical Black Metal riff takes over and a Powerviolence blastbeat finishes the song.
It's a disgrace that this EP hasn't had the success it deserves. My opinion is that Monomentum Collective has later been identified with bands having something in common with Hardcore, Punk or at least Rock, while not many Rock listeners find Harsh Noise palatable. I don't mean to boast myself but I feel perfectly normal not to have any boundaries in my discography, since what matters is music quality and not style; notwithstanding, this approach sometimes makes me feel like I'm a white fly opposed to the majority not mentally prepared to step out of their comfort zone and face new challenges in their new listens.
Line-up on this record:
Svartvit - Kevin Jansen
Slakkengang: Joost, v., g. - Tim, d.
Contacts:
Den Haag/Tilburg - NL
E-mail:
Official sites:
http://svartvitnoise.tumblr.com
https://slakkengang.bandcamp.com
Demo-/Disco-graphy:
Svartvit: Albums:
-Verderf (CDr - 2009)
-Barst /Minialbum - 2009)
-Dodecafonie (tape/vinyl - 2010)
-Svartvit/Die Reitenden Leichen - No Future (tape - 2011)
-Dead Body Collection/Svartvit - Wish I Could Operate on Her Again/Black Bloc (tape - 2011)
-Auto-da-fè (tape/vinyl - 2012)
-Scahdenfreude (tape - 2013)
-Svartvit/Struggling Beacons, Fading Headlights /OHMU Perception Multiplies Tour (Split tape - 2013)
-Teknocannibaal/Marlo Eggplant/Am Not/Svartvit 4 Legs Good Presents: Svartvit, Am Not, Marlo Eggplant & Teknocannibal 25-10-2013 (FLAC/MP3/Album - 2014)
Singles and EPs:
-Svartvit/Slakkengang (Split 7" - 2014/2015)
Compilations:
-Becoming Flesh Mountain / Nxfxtxex / Svartvit - Wired Fly Turdfest (CDr - 2011)
Miscellaneous:
-Wervelwind (Cass, Ltd - 2009)
-Study on Lathe Degradation (tape - 2010)
-Untitled (tape - 2012)
-Svartvit/Foot and Mouth Disease (6" - 2013)
-hɔrər ˈvɑːkjuːaɪ (CDr - 2013)
-Feuillemort (tape - 2013)
-Svartvit/Knifedoutexistence/Dead Wood (Split tape - 2013)
-Svartvit/She Destroys Hope (split tape - 2013)
-Worker (2) /Svartvit - Oppression, Silence / Noise, Violence (tape - 2014)
-Burned the Candle at Both Ends (tape - ?)
Slakkengang:
-Svartvit/Slakkengang (split 7" - 2014/2015)
-Slakkengang/Vacillations (split tape - ?)
