Physis
Phyein
Mystagogus
Ousia
Exorbitant
Industrial Meditation
Pleroma
Altrove

Being quite a revered seminal act, this German trio existed from inception in 1989, through to their demise in 1996. For those unfamiliar the hallmarks of their experimental sound traversed across experimental industrial / drone / ambient spheres, being primarily produced by heavily processed and manipulated electric guitar distortion. This release (as should be obvious from the title), is a collection of their vinyl singles that were released on various labels from 1993 through to 1996 (the only missing piece to the puzzle however, is their Drone Records 7” EP that is conveniently slated for re-release soon).

Opener ‘Physis’ from the Fool’s Paridise Records 7” EP is a raw & rather chaotic tribal experimental/ industrial offering, that is more pleasingly balanced by the more subtle throbbing drones of ‘Phyein’.

The Noise Museum ‘Mystagogus’ 7" EP follows, where the title track evokes a beautiful celestial air via massive drones of sub-orchestral harmonies. The former flip side track ‘Ousia’ is a darker affair altogether, navigating through deep echoed shafts of sound and expansive cavernous realms, with the odd indecipherable voice sporadically filtering into the mix.

The Ant-Zen 7” EP track ‘Exorbitant’ & reverts to a less drone and more experimental industrial sphere of rough noise and pounding rhythmic elements, while ‘Industrial Meditation’ seeks out an path ominous drones and barely perceptible layers of guitar melodies.

The final two tracks on this CD were formerly from an Ant-Zen 10” EP , where ‘Pleroma’ manages to merge some urgent throbbing textures within layers of haunting melodic drones prior to the whole piece culminating in a cacophony of distortion. ‘Altrove’ then concludes this collection of tracks with a lengthy piece that successfully smudges the line between looped drones and rough industrial noise. Nice indeed.

As for packaging this CD comes housed in a beautiful silkscreen printed 7” EP card sleeve with insert, to compliment this appetising re-release compilation.

RJS