CoC : Bastard Noise - If it Be Not True : Review

Bastard Noise - _If it Be Not True_
(Vermiform Records, 1998)
by: Gabriel Sanchez (6.5 out of 10)

What began as a very promising full blown venture into noise with their split release with Merzbow has now degenerated into a hit/miss collection of ambient-esque experimentation tracks. This massive 90 minute double CD release from Bastard Noise seems to show off less of the group's ability to produce some very creative minimalist noise but their inability to distinguish between such work and absolute repetitive slop. The easy highlights of this disc come in the form of the band reprising their "screaming over noise" bits which they produced so well with the _Our Earth's Blood_ series. The expression of Bastard Noise's dark message through this means impacts the meaning clearer by forming images of blackened chaos in the listener's mind with the noise, before dropping their battle axe of truth between one's ears. While these tracks work very well on the disc, they seem to come few and far between the collection of sloppy tonal works. The main downfall of the group is the over dependency on delay pedal effects to produce the sound. While such use of delay effects helps add an extra "flavor" to a track, they tend to grow repetitive and overbearing if used as the driving force behind a composition. At times Bastard Noise attempts to loop in new sound mixtures, but only then do some of these compositions rise beyond the level of "overproduced slop" to "average". The band would have done itself a favor to cut this release back to only one disc and drop many of the shorter, less enterprising pieces in favor of more in the areas they seem strongest in (i.e., "screaming over noise"). While this isn't a total washout, with the positive aspects of this disc being extremely good, it is the abundance of sub-mediocre pieces which serve to bog this down to a purchase only die hard fans ought to make.

Contact: Vermiform Records, P.O. Box 603050

(article published 19/11/1998)

ALBUMS
19/10/2001	G Sanchez	9	Bastard Noise - Analysis of Self Destruction