CoC : Namanax - Cascading Waves of Electronic Turbulence : Review

Namanax - _Cascading Waves of Electronic Turbulence_
(Release, 1996)
by: Andrew Lewandowski (7 out of 10)

While my reaction was somewhat lukewarm to Namanax's debut on Release, they have rebounded with one of the more inventive noise CDs yet to come from my home country. The opening track, "Contaminating Influence", is bass-heavy and monotonous; the sound is actually somewhat akin to a recorded, and over-amplified, squash match. Next up is the main course, the 47-minute title track. If the opener can be compared to a game of squash, the only fitting comparison that can be made for this one is to an Americanized Chernobyl. After the initial meltdown and ensuing destruction, this track starts off sparse, as only the unimportant - due to the fact that they only make $5 an hour, of course - factory workers get mutilated. As the blast - BTW, this is a massive explosion - slowly envelopes the surrounding areas, Namanax adds a myriad of cacophonous clashes and shrieks to their bludgeoning mix. This is harsh noise, not death metal, so do you think that the senseless maiming ends here? Of course not! The bodies continue to pile up; an outside observer can easily discern the skin of each victim, along with the listener's ears and the stereo's speakers, being slowly raped from each helpless American. With about 10 minutes left in the album, and our wonderful nation's history, for that matter, this piece evolves into an apocalyptic cacophony suffused with more than enough bass to satisfy the most critical masochist; by the culmination of this CD, our country remains a barren wasteland, only she's now relieved of her obtrusive human population and related skyscrapers. God bless America.

(article published 11/10/1996)