Plague Haus on Bereft

From Plaugue Haus, with thanks to Jeff for the review - and to Peter L. for the heads-up

Bereft : Your Messiah Will Fail

Written by J.

Bloodlust! : 2009 Format : CDr For a couple of years now Bereft have been among the few US Industrial projects I continually keep my eye (and ears) on. Effortlessly bending Death Industrial atmospheres with Power Electronics aggression, they seem to be deft at creating something outside the status quo for underground noise. The duo currently consists of Peter Lee (Force of Nature Productions) and Andy Grant (The Vomit Arsonist / Danvers State Recordings) and this CDr is their second for Mark Solotroff’s Bloodlust! label. The disc begins with the oscillating hum of “Hidden Agenda”. Enter sizzling static, muted feedback and Black Metal-style vocals for perfect DI atmosphere. Slipping effortlessly into the 15 minute plus title track, the sizzle gives way to a pulsating mechanical buzz like an alarm at some decrepit factory, bubbling organic noise and half whispered vocals. About half way through things turn ugly, harsher with intermittent blasts of feedback and a rhythmic pulse pounding low in the mix. “Just One Bullet” groans open wide, yawning synth like a chasm to hell vomiting leathery winged creatures screeching from it’s maw like the feedback equivalent of a Bosch painting. Next is the hypnotic “No Change In Sight”, a flat tire flapping on a deserted desert road, bursting and roaring into the night. Squalls of terror as vocals compete with demonic feedback. Varying pitches of oscillating rumbles and feed comprise the whole of “Grinding Out” creating the perfect accompaniment to sister track “A Wall Of Promises”, both are vocal-less, making heavy use of looped noise and synth. Personally I like the vocal style of the project and “No Choice/Victim” delivers the goods, lots of crackling aggression, feeds and maniacal ranting. “Resolution” is the album closer, a high end assault like some test of the emergency broadcast system from the ninth circle and this bizarre oboe-like synth riff flowing underneath. This gives way to spacey interludes and mechanized rhythm. It’s just fucked up, weird and I like it. Standard jewel case issue with insert, but anyone using Gustave Doré images gets a thumbs up from me as well. Limited to 250 and definitely worth your time and money.