What's the sound in my headphones today?

jackhammer · 11-10-2008, 01:29 PM

The only criteria I'm giving to this is that the albums or tracks reviewed will almost certainly be a first time listen on what I have recently acquired or dragging an lost gem out of it's hidey hole kicking and screaming.

Agoraphobic Nosebleed- Altered States Of America (2003)

99 tracks long and clocking in at well under 12 minutes this is certainly an acquired taste. Four vocalists, a drum machine, one guitar and endless samples and F/X create one hell of a racket. Is it a gimmick or is it a sincere attempt to make one of the most intense albums ever?

Luckily I was growing up when Grindcore first reared it's head in the late 80's over here and I have been to many all day Hardcore/Grindcore/Punk festivals so I can 'tolerate' this a lot easier than if I was reviewing my first Grindcore album.

Listening closely I can say that it is certainly not a gimmick and despite the ridiculously short length of the tracks there is plenty of imagination and variation to keep me entertained. What used to bore me after a while with Grindcore was the guttural vocals. After a few tracks I got bored. With 4 vocalists on board and only one employing this vocal technique my attention is still kept up. This along with the electronic backbone in many songs give the band a 'Cyber Grind' tag (just in case I start being corrected on their genre tag).

I thought the album was enjoyable in both concept and product. If you fancy your ears being cleaned out or an experience in just how far Music can go sonically, then give it a go brave people. It's fucking mental.

-- Official Agoraphobic Nosebleed Site --

11-10-2008, 01:29 PM	#1 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	What's the sound in my headphones today? The only criteria I'm giving to this is that the albums or tracks reviewed will almost certainly be a first time listen on what I have recently acquired or dragging an lost gem out of it's hidey hole kicking and screaming. Agoraphobic Nosebleed- Altered States Of America (2003) 99 tracks long and clocking in at well under 12 minutes this is certainly an acquired taste. Four vocalists, a drum machine, one guitar and endless samples and F/X create one hell of a racket. Is it a gimmick or is it a sincere attempt to make one of the most intense albums ever? Luckily I was growing up when Grindcore first reared it's head in the late 80's over here and I have been to many all day Hardcore/Grindcore/Punk festivals so I can 'tolerate' this a lot easier than if I was reviewing my first Grindcore album. Listening closely I can say that it is certainly not a gimmick and despite the ridiculously short length of the tracks there is plenty of imagination and variation to keep me entertained. What used to bore me after a while with Grindcore was the guttural vocals. After a few tracks I got bored. With 4 vocalists on board and only one employing this vocal technique my attention is still kept up. This along with the electronic backbone in many songs give the band a 'Cyber Grind' tag (just in case I start being corrected on their genre tag). I thought the album was enjoyable in both concept and product. If you fancy your ears being cleaned out or an experience in just how far Music can go sonically, then give it a go brave people. It's fucking mental. -- Official Agoraphobic Nosebleed Site -- __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”