Agoraphobic Nosebleed
Altered States of America
Relapse 2003
By Nathan Pearce
I always knew Agoraphobic Nosebleed was sick, twisted, and in love with punishing the listener with their brand of rapid-fire artillery grind. But now I realize ANb is simply one of the most insane bands to walk this planet. If the psychotic drum machine madness this band has glorified and perfected doesnt frighten you, surely this next part will. Altered State of America is a 3 CD consisting of 100 songs in 21 minutes. Hmmm . . . so hows it taste?
With all the drug references this band has become notorious for, and with all the absurd use of language to degrade women, government, and . . . well, women, it seems impossible that this band has any ulterior motive other than shocking the listener. Fortunately, deep down, these electro-grind freaks have talent, skill, and ambition.
Each of the 100 songs on this disc fit together as if at some point the drug infested recording sessions actually became cohesive. Songs bang off the walls like uranium atoms in a nuclear explosion. But like any good nuclear bomb will do, Altered States of America molds one hell of a beautiful, and frightening, mushroom cloud. The flow of the CD is simply brilliant. At times I hardly realized songs were flying by every 10 or 15 seconds. I simply felt like one large song was being chopped up into fractions of fractions of pieces. Occasionally the machine gun drums stop for a brilliant burst of thrash or a hallucinogenic spoken word segment.
Rest assured, 100 songs in 21 minutes is as absurd as anything Ive ever heard in extreme music, but, as any good art will do, Altered States of America achieves everything it sets out to do. It shocks you musically, lyrically, and visually (check out the pictures of the fuck faces in the booklet included with the CD), but it also creates one of the most intensely satisfying mind altering experiences this side of whatever these guys do behind closed doors.
10/10
www.agoraphobicnosebleed.com
www.relapse.com
Altered States of America
Relapse 2003
By Nathan Pearce
I always knew Agoraphobic Nosebleed was sick, twisted, and in love with punishing the listener with their brand of rapid-fire artillery grind. But now I realize ANb is simply one of the most insane bands to walk this planet. If the psychotic drum machine madness this band has glorified and perfected doesnt frighten you, surely this next part will. Altered State of America is a 3 CD consisting of 100 songs in 21 minutes. Hmmm . . . so hows it taste?
With all the drug references this band has become notorious for, and with all the absurd use of language to degrade women, government, and . . . well, women, it seems impossible that this band has any ulterior motive other than shocking the listener. Fortunately, deep down, these electro-grind freaks have talent, skill, and ambition.
Each of the 100 songs on this disc fit together as if at some point the drug infested recording sessions actually became cohesive. Songs bang off the walls like uranium atoms in a nuclear explosion. But like any good nuclear bomb will do, Altered States of America molds one hell of a beautiful, and frightening, mushroom cloud. The flow of the CD is simply brilliant. At times I hardly realized songs were flying by every 10 or 15 seconds. I simply felt like one large song was being chopped up into fractions of fractions of pieces. Occasionally the machine gun drums stop for a brilliant burst of thrash or a hallucinogenic spoken word segment.
Rest assured, 100 songs in 21 minutes is as absurd as anything Ive ever heard in extreme music, but, as any good art will do, Altered States of America achieves everything it sets out to do. It shocks you musically, lyrically, and visually (check out the pictures of the fuck faces in the booklet included with the CD), but it also creates one of the most intensely satisfying mind altering experiences this side of whatever these guys do behind closed doors.
10/10
www.agoraphobicnosebleed.com
www.relapse.com
