Controlled Bleeding - “Larva Lumps and Baby Bumps” 2xCD

Explosive new work from reformed experimental group

After some years of sporadic activity and the unexpected deaths of primary members Chris Moriarty and Joe Papa, this double-length album marks a serious return for Paul Lemos’ venerable noise-prog-jazz-ambient-dub behemoth. Through the years, Controlled Bleeding have provided a rather schizophrenic mix of genres, from outright power electronics to industrial dance to ambient to sacred music hybrids. Now, with new members, the band has found a focus on a wild out-jazz, prog-rock, post-rock madness that refuses to “fit” anywhere comfortably, but it sounds just amazing.

Opening with the frenzied prog-rock intensity of “Driving Through Darkness”, the album leans in for a darker, funky post-punk grind in “Carving Song”, which will more than please fans of “Filth”-era SWANS a bit. “Trawler’s Return” is a feverish jazz-thrash attack that careens headfirst into a Lemos guitar shredding, set to a pace that would please any classic punk rocker. “As Evening Fades” is a sweet and mellow ambient dub piece, leading into the 22-minute closer, “The Perks Of Being A Perv”, which ends the first album in a tour-de-force of pounding post-industrial rhythms lashed alongside Lemos’ maniacal guitar. Call this one more jazz-prog-thrash, every bit as intense as any metal could hope to be. The track evolves/devolves into pounding experimental improv noise, a sort of harkening back to the band's famous days as one of America's premier industrial noise groups.

The second disc is “The Bisi Sessions”, recorded live in the studio back in 2011 with legendary NYC producer Martin Bisi (known for his work with SWANS, Sonic Youth, Live Skull, and tons more). These 7 tracks (well, 8, as there's an unlisted bonus cut) are an ideal accompaniment alongside the initial “Larva Lumps” disc — weird, complex rhythms and genre-busting arrangements all centered around the remarkable guitar chops of Lemos himself. Approaching a kind of hyper speed-core on most cuts, Controlled Bleeding’s potent musical ramblings (all instrumental here aside from a rather pop-oriented "Trang's Song", with sweet vocals from longtime collaborator Trang) are both befuddling and somehow invigorating. 

Music doesn’t need to belong to any category or genre, and Paul Lemos and company have spent many years proving that great music comes, rightly, from far outside the mainstream. Cheers, Paul, and here’s to many more releases and reissues.

ArtOfFact/Storming The Base

Controlled Bleeding site

Revolting Cocks - “You Goddamned Son Of A Bitch” 2xCD + DVD

All-time great electro-rock

Ah, this is classic Revco, recorded live at the Cabaret Metro in Chicago in 1987. Originally released as a single disc by Wax Trax!, this double-CD format simply adds a couple of live tracks from the later “Beers, Steers, & Queers” CD single, and expands it all over 2 discs. It’s basically the same package as Rykodisc’s 2004 reissue, but with most of the original artwork restored. The distinct lack of liner notes, and some glaring errors (like the back stating that Chris Connelly is from Killing Joke. Hah!) are both unforgivable and lazy. It’s this lack of historical notes or credits, and the fact that it’s housed in a cheap case that’s easily broken signals a quick cash job on the part of Jourgensen (who recently sold the rights to this to notoriously shoddy Cleopatra Records) and MVD Audio (whose label and name is attached to the packaging, rather than Cleopatra’s, oddly).

Anyway, the music sounds as good as it ever has. This was Connelly’s inaugural release with the band, and thus began a long partnership with Cocks/Ministry members Jourgensen, Barker, and Rieflin, all of whom feature prominently here alongside Belgian pop star-slash-madman Luc Van Acker. 

Opening with the droning noise and murderous caterwauling of the title track, the band pushes into the massive “Cattle Grind” — a sinister, murderous rampage that also showcases a young, brash, and hungry Connelly (literally and figuratively — check out how skinny he was in the video counterpart. Hah!). A series of punishing electronic rock assaults follows, with iconic cuts like “38”, “TV Mind”, and “No Devotion” being even more aggressive live than their studio counterparts. This, as I’ve said already, is seriously classic industrial rock, both hypnotic and stomping with a perfect melding of live instrumentation and electronic programming. 

The huge, pulsing “Union Carbide” opens the second disc, and the wild rampage continues through “Attack Ships On Fire” and “No Devotion” before giving way to the 1991 live tracks that do flow rather seamlessly, despite the difference in venue, era, and personnel. Mr. Connelly’s impersonation/performance “as John Lydon” on the cover of PIL’s “Public Image” is perfect and spot-on!

The DVD release (oddly sold separately from the music) also shows a curious and alarming lack of care and attention. Having never been available on DVD, this was always part of a Ministry/Revolting Cocks fans’ bucket list. But MVD (or Cleopatra)’s shoddy packaging again seems slapdash and careless. The transfer is merely adequate, possibly from a VHS source (most certainly not cleaned up in any way), and the art and labeling echoes the same misinformation as the CD (Connelly being from Killing Joke, etc.). 

All said, a lackluster treatment given to an album and video that remains, at least to me, a near-perfect representation of everything the Cocks ever stood for — unbridled hedonism, excess, and stainless steel precision. It’s a shame to see this great album and video treated so poorly, though I am quite happy to have an “YGDSOB” on DVD officially after all these years.

MVD Audio

Al Jourgensen's official site

Bells Into Machines promo teaser

Classic Wax Trax! fans rejoice -- for coming soon, Bells Into Machines will be releasing their double-CD debut. What's Bells Into Machines? Gentleman Chris Connelly fronts the band, alongside old mates Paul Barker (Ministry, Revolting Cocks, Lead Into Gold, etc.), Lee Popa (Pigface), and others.

Check this video promo sampling several cuts, and visit their websites:
BIM FB

BIM dot com

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Pankow - "..And Shun The Cure They Most Desire" trailer

I am excited to report that my favorite forgotten Italian electronic/industrial rock act PANKOW has a new double-CD release, out in America on Metropolis Records (and Out Of Line in Europe). "..And Shun The Cure They Most Desire" features plenty of new tracks, most with new vocalist Bram Declercq. Original vocalist Alex Spalck (who also wrote most of the lyrics) returns for several tracks, as does Paulo Favati, who is legendary for his productions and remixes. Disc 2 is a set of new remixes of classic Pankow cuts like the immortal "Me And My Ding Dong", "Sickness Taking Over", and "Gimme More". Check out this teaser sample of the band's new material. It's a nice throwback to their classics from the late 80s and early 90s. Long live Pankow!

Pankow page at Metropolis