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Merzbow



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18.08.2008 - 23:33
VELVET (O)
Account deleted
Merzbow, Masami Akita's noise and experimental music output. Pretty much a household name (in noise circles at least) Merzbow is probably the most prolific noise artist in the world, making his brand of his so dubbed Japanoise since the late 70's. He's released well over 300 records by now, his earlier work done mostly by tape loops, percussion and distorted sounds recorded through a microphone though later on he utilised computers, guitars and digital equipment. He's also released a number of songs and remixes for metal and grindcore bands, Agoraphobic Nosebleed's 'PCP Torpedo' re-release coming to mind.

Some of his work I'm more familiar with and some of my personal favourite albums include Pulse Demon, Venerology and 1930 but I've been slowly working my way through the Merzbox which contains 50 albums of his work ranging from late 70's to late 90's. Some of his more recent work has veered toward ambient and even beat orientated sounds. The last LP of his I heard was Here which seemed rather bland compared to some of his efforts. Anyway I'm sure a few of you must have heard of him.

Any of you unfamiliar with the concept and style of Merzbow it would best be described as multi-layered, mostly structureless, textured feedback and noise. Soundscapes essentially.
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24.08.2008 - 14:03
^Necrolust^

I have listened to Merzbow but damn,thats too much noise for me
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Sin my soul,blesses with fire....
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24.08.2008 - 21:53
Lucas
Mr. Noise
Merzbow is a cool band, but one thing that pisses me off is that I can't seem to find his albums for a good price. It's always import shit, and I've always had other priorities. If you have a good tip, don't be shy.

I think it was Merzbird and/or Merzbeat.
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SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what?

"The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
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28.08.2008 - 19:46
jupitreas
hi-fi / lo-life
I like Merzbow quite a lot. Very relaxing music.
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28.08.2008 - 20:04
VELVET (O)
Account deleted
Written by jupitreas on 28.08.2008 at 19:46

I like Merzbow quite a lot. Very relaxing music.

Heh, I can't tell if you're being funny or not. I'm not sure relaxing is the word I'd use but I do find it to aid in focusing and concentration. It's very much background music, ideal for doing coursework etc. Like all noise I find that sitting there listening to it directly is not very rewarding, instead letting it wash over you and become engrained in ones mind is the best way to appreciate them.
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28.08.2008 - 20:45
jupitreas
hi-fi / lo-life
Noise is meditative music I think, first and foremost. It might be the most extreme sounding form of sonic terrorism out there; however, in the end it does have roots in free jazz and some of the most 'out-there' prog rock and as such is usually a form of free-form improvisation and experimentation. It is perhaps the most 'free' of all musical forms. It is therefore very relaxing for me to listen to noise, not as background music but through listening closely and having the pleasure of uncovering the hidden thought behind the walls of corrosive soundscapes.
Anyway, I certainly listen to Merzbow in this way... Other noise bands are not as relaxing.
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28.08.2008 - 20:53
VELVET (O)
Account deleted
Fair enough, though that last comment is rather odd considering Merzbow spans quite a lot of styles within its own genre, styes that a variety of other artists do just as well, if not better. I wouldn't say Merzbow is the be all and end off of noise, there are certain aspects that Merzbow has yet to undertake but as I say, certainly the most prolific.
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28.08.2008 - 20:59
jupitreas
hi-fi / lo-life
Well, what I meant is that Merzbow is not an.. evil guy. The Merzbow sound is obviously extreme as fuck but it is nevertheless positive. I have trouble listening to something like Whitehouse and relaxing to it.
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28.08.2008 - 21:13
VELVET (O)
Account deleted
Well I always considered one of the major differences of noise and power electronics (the minor structural differences aside) to be the use of prominent vocals, the rather wonderfully vitriolic spewings of Whitehouse being an excellent example. It does change the focus of the music drastically when vocals are used of course so I get what you mean but personally vocals, unless it's something like epic doom metal clean vocals, have always been just another instrument to me that blends in with the rest of the music, Whitehouse isn't really much different, his barkings become inaudible after a while (though I do love the lyrics and imagery beheind them). I suppose you can't really deny the aggression behind Whitehouse.
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08.03.2010 - 09:59
LeChron James
Helvetesfossen
They perform songs on Agoraphobic Nosebleed's PCP Torpedo
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Kick Ass, Die Young

Less is More
Stay Pure
Stay Poor

Music was my life, music brought me to life and music is how I will be remembered long after I leave this life. When I die there will be a final waltz in my head that only I can hear.
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10.03.2010 - 01:25
broadcastingsile

Until recently I've never actually gotten into Merzbow's albums, however I've always felt the Rock Dream stuff he did with Boris sounded better than Boris' original songs.
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myspace.com/broadcastingsilence
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14.03.2010 - 18:56
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Written by LeChron James on 08.03.2010 at 09:59

They perform songs on Agoraphobic Nosebleed's PCP Torpedo


i love the remix cd that comes with that release but oddly enough i find Merzbow's contribution to be the most pedestrian.
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28.01.2011 - 18:03
spirit_inblack
harshhead
I've been listening pretty well non-stop to Aqua Necromancer since yesterday. Really, really good shiz, especially Soft Drums and the title track, since they're fairly catchy. Can someone point me in the direction to go with his releases, as in what to check out next? since the only ones I've heard are a couple of his most popular outputs (1930 and Pulse Demon) and a couple other less revered works. I know he has a whole bunch of other fairly "popular" records, but as to which one to pick next, I'm clueless. I was thinking probably Venerolgy.
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23.04.2011 - 07:09
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Written by spirit_inblack on 28.01.2011 at 18:03

I've been listening pretty well non-stop to Aqua Necromancer since yesterday. Really, really good shiz, especially Soft Drums and the title track, since they're fairly catchy. Can someone point me in the direction to go with his releases, as in what to check out next? since the only ones I've heard are a couple of his most popular outputs (1930 and Pulse Demon) and a couple other less revered works. I know he has a whole bunch of other fairly "popular" records, but as to which one to pick next, I'm clueless. I was thinking probably Venerolgy.

Venereology is probably the harshest record I've heard him do, nay the harshest record I've ever heard. I think I read somewhere that it was his way of doing a grindcore record but with noise or something along those lines.

I'll check out Aqua Necromancer, never heard that one. Actually I've stopped trying to keep up with Merzbow records as he releases them faster than I can listen to them. Be nice to listen to them again.
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30.07.2011 - 05:23
BreadGod
Account deleted
I have just fallen in love with Merzbow. The noise he makes is a thing of beauty. However, there's one thing I want to know: what is that little guitar/keyboard/noise maker thing he uses in this video?
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30.07.2011 - 10:38
IronAngel

Anything good out recently? It's so hard to keep up with him, and I've only heard a fraction of his work. I know he did that collab with Boris again, this year. Klatter. Pretty OK, but nothing stellar.
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14.12.2011 - 09:17
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Written by IronAngel on 30.07.2011 at 10:38
Anything good out recently?

Written by Guest on 23.04.2011 at 07:09
Actually I've stopped trying to keep up with Merzbow records as he releases them faster than I can listen to them.

Have either of you listened to Lop Lop yet?
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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14.12.2011 - 12:10
IronAngel

Nope. I didn't know he had something out this year (except the Klatter EP), but apparently there's a whole bunch of records.

I really have no idea what are "good" Merzbow albums and what are just derivative, anyway. I've probably listened to very random choices, and they might be among his weakest.
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24.02.2012 - 16:25
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Listening to 2011's 'Lop Lop', supposedly a new direction for Merzbow. I can see why. It's noise but not a mega-harsh, in your face onslaught. It's lighter, deeper and more more varied and individual elements can be heard. Heck, it's even vaguely atmospheric. It's on Spotify for anyone curious. Of course it's still 2 hours long...
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24.02.2012 - 20:43
vezzy
Stallmanite
I decided to check out 1930. I liked it quite a bit, actually.
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Licensed under the GPLv3.
Relinquish proprietary software for a greater GNU/America.
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24.02.2012 - 21:43
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Written by vezzy on 24.02.2012 at 20:43

I decided to check out 1930. I liked it quite a bit, actually.

That's good, because he has about 500 albums that all sound very similar.
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24.02.2012 - 22:14
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
^Hahahahahahahahahahaha So that's good I guess!
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass
Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.
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05.06.2013 - 01:02
mz

I've been meant to check out this guy for a while but did not know where to start because of his massive discography. should check out the albums mentioned in this topic only.
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Giving my ears a rest from music.
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18.06.2013 - 03:51
Boxcar Willy
yr a kook
Written by mz on 05.06.2013 at 01:02

I've been meant to check out this guy for a while but did not know where to start because of his massive discography. should check out the albums mentioned in this topic only.

Literally just pick one, he's like a noise AC/DC.
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14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS
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18.06.2013 - 15:24
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Written by Boxcar Willy on 18.06.2013 at 03:51

Written by mz on 05.06.2013 at 01:02

I've been meant to check out this guy for a while but did not know where to start because of his massive discography. should check out the albums mentioned in this topic only.
Literally just pick one, he's like a noise AC/DC.


Except that he's still good.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass
Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.
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19.06.2013 - 06:35
spirit_inblack
harshhead
Written by X-Ray Rod on 18.06.2013 at 15:24

Written by Boxcar Willy on 18.06.2013 at 03:51

Written by mz on 05.06.2013 at 01:02

I've been meant to check out this guy for a while but did not know where to start because of his massive discography. should check out the albums mentioned in this topic only.
Literally just pick one, he's like a noise AC/DC.


Except that he's still good.

That's highly debatable. In fact, most noise fanatics would probably say otherwise. A lot of folks don't like laptop-based noise, and much prefer the glorious '90s era of analog Merzbow. Barring a couple recent releases, I would certainly say that I fall within that camp. There is absolutely no comparing the blistering and all-encompassing harshness of an album like Green Wheels with some of his recent releases.

@mz: You could start with many... but Hybrid Noisebloom or 1930 would certainly be some of the better places to start.
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