Merzbox - Pt. 5
Album: Collection Era Vol. 2
Artist: Merzbow
Genre: Noise
Suggested by: grindy
Familiarity: None for this one.
1. Merz Rock 1 - Some pretty weird distended noises at the start here. But the drum beat is a really good. This is shaping up to be the best song Merzbow has made yet. The music rises to a boil towards the end, and it's totally awesome. Looking forward to this one.
2. Merz Rock 2 - The percussion is very similar to the last song. Still good. Not long before the beat is gone. Lots more rock influences in there. A great example of noise rock certainly. Alright then. It's not as good as the last one, but not as bad as most.
3. Merz Gamlan 1 - I have no frickin' idea what Gamlan. It's probably pretty freaky, because this is the most abrasive thing I've heard from Merzbow yet. Not that that makes it bad. Just like the rest of his music, a lot of random stuff is happening. Can't really say I find anything wrong with it. And this is actually mildly soothing personally. I'm into it, to say the least. That said, you can't listen to it all the way through without getting a bit bored. But that's the nature of all music.
4. Merz Gamlan 2 - More of the same, except for what sounds like some vocals from Merzbow.
5. Merz Scat - Less abrasive, but more of the same. It's actually hard to tell the difference between some of these tracks.
6. Merztronics Jazz Mix - Yeah, it's definitely a bit jazzier. Very tame for Merzbow. Guitar sounds sort of King Crimson-y. There's this jagged wave constantly moving in the background. Meh.
7. Merztronics Rhythm Mix - Cool rhythm. That's about all. It's easier to get into than some of the others. Has a bit of a no wave feel to it. Oh yeah, I actually really like this. Fun.
Because I paid attention to the whole thing, the rating may be a bit depleted, but I think this one actually benefits from close inspection. This one's much better produced and overall put together than his other albums, and bits and pieces are a bit more understandable for people unfamiliar with his style. Especially the last track, that one sort of tied it all together. Basically, it's good.
OVERALL RATING: 7/10