Violeer – Heretic

Violeer released a new album this weekend. After losing the first draft of the album due to a hard drive issue, he quickly rerecorded it in 12 days. At nearly two hours long, Matt reveals a new direction largely removed from the wall and tape loop monoliths he typically has constructed. Using influences such as previous collaborators Suttcliffe Jugend, the latest Violeer is deep outsider power electronics: minimal churning synths, mic feedback, and what I feel are his best vocal performances I’ve heard. The screams on “Small Objects” are physical and gut-wrenching, seemingly going harder and harder into the abyss, past where this sort of aggressive style typically goes. That is my noise track of the year. “One Last Day” is an amazing recording (thanks to @aphotictransmission) of his pummeling and emotional WC2 set, which I am grateful to have. Due to its layering and pitch-perfection, “Philadelphia” is the only 30 minute long wall track from the last five years that I will listen to again. Elsewhere the blown out production, beating oscillators, dub delay, downtown basement reverb, and We Spit On Their Graves feedback all add to a completely and absolutely frustrated and pissed offering. These Violeer albums are something I always look forward to and, in his own way, they push noise back towards the pure individualistic, author-like expression as in the best of the genre. https://violeer.bandcamp.com/album/heretic