   reviews: | bcp005 - worms of the earth - the angels of prostitution released: may, 2008 entering the 8th year of the new millennium, the horrors of the coming century have begun to reveal themselves. the alignment of unseen black stars, twisted and hideous techno-religious rites, and the dystopia corruption of nature have resulted in the unleashing of worms of the earth, who, with trans-mundane elegance, manifests itself as crushing blasphemous beats, shambling broken machine noise, and dark arcane ambience. worms of the earth, the latest discovery of degenerate industrial label bugs crawling out of people, plants itself firmly in the sparse forest of the new generation of industrial-noise music; merging the organic with the technological, and the orthodox with the profane to create epic and mysterious compositions that stimulate the listener both in body as well as in mind. after self-releasing several albums, worms of the earth is posed to reveal the groundbreaking album that will showcase its continuous evolution, breaking away from anything even remotely hinted at in previous material. unrestrained by contrived dogma or the hackneyed boundaries of any sub genre within industrial music, worms of the earth reveals a broad spectrum of music that blends together the brutal sounds of power noise and aggrotech with arcane atmospheres and occult theology. the angels of prostitution, a term derived from ancient jewish mysticism describing a group of succubi, traces the lineage of the female as a demonic figure from its origins in the darker corners of the christian's garden of eden, up through the fanatical witch hunts of 17th and 18th century europe, and into the veiled corners of modern american society. the angels of prostitution is an ancient hulking mechanical apparatus gone haywire with demonic fervor.. sounds buried deep within the earth in time immemorial.. forbidden sounds of latent human evil that had been erased from our collective memory.. until now. inscribed with the language of the ancients, it demolishes any in its cursed path, leaving only sorrow in its wake. it features condemning text vocalized by wordcore artist it-clings along with five interpretations by prominent up-and-coming industrial acts who were cursed with the task of remixing these forbidden works: dead man's hill, dym, embodi, to mega therion, and vicious alliance. the first 50 copies come with a bonus disc containing 4 previously unreleased tracks showcasing the dark esoteric ambient side of worms of the earth and 5 additional remixes by autovoice, ghosts in the clocktower, re: dux tion, roto visage, and vicious alliance. track listing: bonus disc track listing: |
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Baltimore based Dan Barrett, the man behind WORMS OF THE EARTH is also responsible for the music blog Wounds of the Earth and after self-releasing a couple of albums never getting to my attention, he found a home at Canadian Bugs Crawling Out of People label led by Squid or IT- CLINGS if that does ring any bells to bring us his first official label release ‘The Angels of Prostitution’. Enough introduction for now, so let’s start right away with the opening and title track setting up a mood I painfully miss in many of today’s horror movies with a choir of heart-piercing screams, serving as a prelude for the first proper track of the album, which is ‘The Whore’, delivering a compound of pounding beat work and grinding noise cascades, backed by a nostalgic synth melody that could as well be taken from an old C64 game. ‘I watched them hang’ after a short period of rather typical old-school beats and ominous melodies, reveals what’s hiding underneath its surface, a dark and twisted soul, comprising consistently evolving and warped beat massacres while the bells of Jericho play their melody and hissing hi-hats resembling the sound of the grim reaper edging his scythe... or a psychopathic killer preparing his tools for the next coup. With ‘Big fucking Titties or a fuckable Mouth (of the succubus)’ something happens that’s happening almost every time when IT CLINGS, Rock’n’Roll Supergod, king of the Jews and saviour of all mankind, adds one of his cynical monologues to one track… It’s stealing the show from the music and you’re catching yourself time after time focussing entirely on the words, even though the musical backdrop proves to be an intriguing blend of weird ambience with a casual orchestral injection while being underlined by a deep bass drum. Just one track later, the earth starts to quake by the mangling force of mutilated and tortured rhythmic arrays, tearing away and ripping apart your last piece of resistance under a sky of sullen atmospherics and speech samples. There’s quite some remixes on ‘Angels of Prostitution’, the one on really got enthusiastic about, however, was the DEAD MAN’S HILL take on ‘The Whore’. It almost seems as if he’s employed a little choir to re-create the tracks melodic theme, only on a much more monumental and darker scale that’s sending shivers down my spine, enriched with additional propelling marching drums. Gorgeous remix work! Honestly, ‘Under the Bodhi Tree’ is a track I didn’t expect on this album, as it’s so unlike everything else on this disc, evoking a mystical, in some way magical mood of sorts, seeming like the sonic extension of a philosophical discourse about mysticism. All this is bound to a mesmerizing sequence of organic movements, meticulously crafted to give just the right kind of rhythmical accentuation for the track’s ancient theme. My personal highlight on this record! Absolutely impressing! ‘The Angels of Prostitution’ is a challenging, but by all means worthwhile musical experience. Take your time to explore these sometimes harsh and noisy soundscapes and in return you’ll get a rich fundus of rhythms and atmospheres. -- Sebastian Huhn [8/10]
Baltimore, Maryland's Dan Barrett is responsible for the on-again, off-again blog Wounds Of The Earth, dedicated to spreading the dystopian joy of underground Industrial music. Putting his money where his mouth is (and vice versa) he's spearheaded his own musical project called Worms Of The Earth which explores challenging realms of harsh and ambient electronics that merit attention if only for the breadth of styles employed on The Angels Of Prostitution, a dense and richly layered work that contains eight stirring pieces as well as five remixes from the likes of DYM, To Mega Therion, Vicious Alliance, Dead Man's Hill and Embodi. The album wastes no time in setting up a horrifically uneasy atmosphere with a chorus of screams that lead into the first proper track, "The Whore," with its unrelenting rhythm and sheets of scathing distortion which are counterbalanced by a choppy, old-school synth "melody" and disquieting samples. "I Watched Them Hang" contains the sort of chime that seems ripped from a child's nursery rhyme but is twisted to reflect the terror of an adult's nightmare, accentuated by a skittering beat pattern that continually shifts and evolves to accommodate even drearier moods. Getting in on the fun for the fourth track is Bugs Crawling Out Of People label mastermind Squid, through his It-Clings moniker, executing one of his trademark cynical rants to a backdrop of ambient decay which builds into a compelling mixture of grinding bass and propelling kicks while maintaining an almost orchestral aura bubbling forth from the pit at stage left. The Untitled piece which follows is a downtempo meditation that possesses enough power and noise to be worthy of a better name. The haunting structure and gorgeously unnerving melody accentuate the sampled monologue nicely making it one of the highlights of the entire disc. "Famine Wears The Mask Of Prosperity" employs vocals that sound like a mixture of Harsh EBM and Black Metal. Unfortunately the voice is pushed too far up in the mix masking the brilliantly layered music and ringing tones that make the song such a wicked treat. The album ends with "Under The Bodhi Tree," tying together the philosophical themes and musings on mysticism that make The Angels Of Prostitution music for the mind as much as music meant to inspire movement, driving its point home with a phenomenally stirring rhythm that is unlike anything else heard on the album and mixing in some meditative chanting for good measure. This near-eight minute track alone makes the collection worthy of the price tag, combining ancient wisdom with modern technology. "The Whore" inspires three wildly divergent remixes. Dead Man's Hill turns the track into a sort of ritual gathering preparing for a sacrifice. DYM unleashes the dancefloor fury while retaining a decided Powernoise edge. For their part, To Mega Therion embrace terror-fueled ambience and jackhammer efficiency for a four and a half minute foray into ghastly static. And yet Barrett stands assured as the conductor of this symphony of sickness pulling the strings like a masterful puppeteer, spinning a dark and cautionary morality play to the tune of some impressive music which references the classic and the innovative. The Angels Of Prostitution is one of those gems that you may never discover on your own but once its pointed out to you it becomes a treasure to which you will return often. It may take a few spins to really sink in but once it does you'll marvel at the simplicity, revel in the audacity and cherish the seething vulgarity inherent in this bold statement. If you've been on the fence about this whole "Powernoise" thing but are interested in something that has considerably more depth than what you've been hearing in the clubs I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Worms Of The Earth. This is haunting music that sticks with you long after the last beat drops. -- Christopher Roddy
Dan Barrett is the one man show behind Worms of the Earth and the driving force behind the Wounds of the Earth dark electronic webzine. "The Angels of Prostitution" is his first full length album after several appearances on compilations, EP's, and splits over the last few years. The album features bleak atmospherics, aggressive walls of sound, and driving beats against a soundtrack fit for a post apocalyptic funhouse. The well orchestrated, richly layered tracks represent a masterful diversity which doesn't always translate well in a recording. Instead of being off-putting, this noisy barrage comes together nicely. Several tracks demand their own mention starting with Barrett's collaboration with It-Clings in "Big Fucking Titties or a Fuckable Mouth (of the Succubus)". It-Clings, otherwise known as Squid of the Bugs Crawling out of People label, has brought recent memorable spoken word contributions to the work of artists like Prospero, Autoclav1.1, Ad.ver.sary, and Pneumatic Detach. Within the context of this track, his creepy and fatalistic ranting about the desperation of want juxtaposed against the sounds of a distorted music box must truly be what the decent into madness must sound like. In "Famine Wears the Mask of Poverty", Barrett surprises the listener with black metal style vocals in a guardedly metered style. There is something very old school about the synth lines in this track. "Dew Falling Over the Garden" is crunchy, noisy goodness akin to being eaten alive by heavy machinery (the more astute club dj's should pick this one up for the fun of it). "Under the Bohdi Tree" is a sign of what Barrett is capable of when all of the elements of his sound and intention wind together into a blissful transcendence of genre categorization. It is clear that the artist takes inspiration from myriad sources and fuses several subgenres together into his signature sound. Barrett appears to be relatively well read in mythology, religion, and mysticism and fans of dark ambient will be well served by giving this track their undivided attention. "The Angels of Prostitution" offers up three reinterpretations of "The Whore". Dym and To Mega Therion go straight for the aggrotech jugular and offer up straightforward dance floor friendly versions while Dead Man's Hill presents a more sophisticated, sweeping take. Embodi presents a remix of "The Serpents That Lick the Dust" which is a bit more subtle and drawn out than their usual remix efforts. Samples from "The Whore" are featured alongside operatic tones culminating in a grand interlude. Vicious Alliance's remix of "Dreams Beyond The Northern Ocean" is a very solid, dance floor friendly mix, however, as a straightforward bouncer, it didn't feel quite right following To Mega Therion's take on "The Whore". Just two minor complaints detract only slightly from unhindered satisfaction. Firstly, the track order could use some tweaking. Eight new tracks and five robust remixes are presented, however the most moving of all of the tracks, "Under the Bohdi Tree", is presented following one very assertive and very danceable Vicious Alliance remix of "Dreams Beyond the Northern Ocean". The inclusion of one original track following remixes by several other artists is slightly unorthodox. Secondly, the creepy funhouse sound featured predominantly in songs like "The Whore" and "I Watched Them Hang" tends to become slightly annoying after prolonged exposure. Certainly there are those with a penchant for midi sequencing and videogame soundtracks, however, this reviewer prefers the assault of rhythmic noise kick in the pants any day. Fortunately, Barrett delivers in this department just prior to the onset of full tedium. "The Angels of Prostitution" is an expression of what is still left to be explored within electronic music today and an imprint which should leave a notable reverberation within those that are paying attention. If this album is a harbinger of things to come for Worms of the Earth, I'm sticking around to find out what happens next. -- Shannon M. [8/10]
Highly Recommended Worms of the Earth sounds like something insidious lurking in the dark, where abrasive, churning machinery has been left to decay. If Mark Pauline's terrifying Survival Research Laboratories machinations had a sountrack, it could certainly be The Angels of Prostitution. There are touches here and there of an organic nature, but what really grabbed my attention was the mythos underscoring it all that bordered on the Cthulian. This is the sort of album that would be difficult to put on and leave to its own devices in the background, because the music is telling its own story, one that's hard to turn away from. Although the album benefits from (not suffers from) a bit of schizophrenia, one minute toying with terror EBM and then next minute lost downtempo, it's absolutely at its brightest when it falls to dark ambient and impulsive rhythmic noise. There's no shortage of shining spots here, such as the gut-punch rawness of Big Fucking Titties or a Fuckable Mouth (of the Succubus) w/ It-Clings, or the creeping sampled passages of Under The Bodhi Tree. The album also boasts some impressive remixes, such as the DYM and Dead Man's Hill remix of The Whore, which I'd say actually top the original. The Angels of Prostitution is a stunning debut with visceral appeal that demands attention. And Worms of the Earth certainly deserves every bit of that attention. Note: However, there's a world of difference between the very real, very genuine (and very good) ideas expressed in works such as The Angels of Prostitution (among others), and bullshit posturing some musicians use to masturbate their ego against, or, possibly, that they flaunt to give people a bravado-laden idea of themselves. Six of one. And as a man named Forrest once said, that's all I have to say about that.
The label Bugs Crawling Out Of People hails from Canada and is run by Squid, who is also known from the spoken word project It-Clings. This label releases interesting and very hard industrial music, a lot of times with a industrial hardcore/gabber vibe to it. The project Worms of the Earth deliver a fast and furious album here. Harsh powernoise is the motto here with elements from breakcore, gabber and EBM music. The album is divided into 13 chapters, so every track is a chapter in this story. There is also space for some nice collaborations. The album kicks of with the dark intro track ‘the angels of prostitution’. The second track, ‘the whore’, begins with some samples and a cheesy melody. Then suddenly we get real stomping hard powernoise. After a while that melody comes back in and it’s getting to sound like real party music. The third track, ‘i watched them bang’, has more industrial hardcore approach to the sound. A real hard track again. With the next track, ‘big fucking titties or a fuckable mouth (of the succubus) with it-clings’ we can get a break from all the hard beats. This one has spoken words by It-Clings and has funny carnival sounds. The eighth track, ‘untitled’, is again a noisier affair; only it’s not very upbeat. It feels somewhat like a slow instrumental terror EBM track. The track after this, ‘dew falling over the garden’, actually is terror EBM, with the obligate distorted and screaming vocals. With the next track, ‘famine wears the mask of prosperity’, we are again back with the powernoise/industrial hardcore sound, even harder then before. All the upcoming tracks, except the last, are remixes by other bands. The remix of ‘the whore’ by Dead Man’s Hill is pretty cool, who recreates this song as a kind of martial industrial techno track. The Dym remix of ‘the whore’ (again), is also nice. This one is still powernoise, but more a combination of powernoise and EBM that Dym is becoming somewhat known for. Great club material! The twelfth track is a remix of the song ‘dreams beyond the northern ocean’ by Vicious Alliance, which isn’t in its original form on this album. This track is pure hard endzeit-electro, with cheesy synth hooks included. Overall it is an interesting album with a diverse set of sounds. It’s mostly hard powernoise, but has also elements of gabber, EBM and some other electronic styles. This way it’s diverse enough, so you aren’t bored as fast. Most of the tracks are club material, although some track may be too fast and extreme. There are some really interesting tracks like the Dead Man’s Hill remix. A very hard and aggressive experience. Recommended! [8/10] reviewer: Fabian
reviewer: - Marc Tater oct 2008 [4/5]
A strong concept, monstrous constructions, haunting ambience, and dramatically improved production marks the arrival of Worms of the Earth into the annals of post-industrial. Power noise has become something of a joke - in this writer's humble opinion - in the underground industrial music scene. With many artists focusing primarily on endless repetition and copious amounts of distortion, so much music in this particular subgenre has fallen into the pitfall of banality and utter boredom, while simultaneously becoming one of the most popular subsets of industrial music. Yet, there are also a plethora of artists that have taken the aesthetics of power noise and applied it to a more atmospheric medium, truly emphasizing the balance of musicality with aggression and cacophonous textures. Joining in those ranks is Worms of the Earth, the brainchild of Dan Barrett; having spent the past several years honing his craft with several split EPs and free downloadable albums, he now unveils his first album proper, The Angels of Prostitution. Those familiar with Barrett's past work will immediately notice a dramatic improvement not only in the production values but also in his overall sense of song structure. "I Watched Them Hang" is one of the earliest best examples of this full of dark melodic passages that evoke the greatest depths of abysmal terror and despair. True to the genre, there are still plenty of repeated and distorted loops galore, but with each measure, Barrett introduces the subtlest shifts, be they in the form of glitches or a simple alteration of tone. Another standout track is "Untitled" with its warm pad progressions and searing synth melodies that are as mystical and medieval as they are current, and while the rasping vocals of "Dew Falling Over the Garden" might seem in stark contrast to the almost serene arpeggios, the track gradually builds into a macabre march of gut-wrenching anguish. But it's not all horror show for "Famine Wears the Mask of Prosperity" assaults your speakers and punishes your eardrums with a dastardly display of thunderous percussive attacks and industrial clamor that could seriously put all other power noise artists to shame, while "Big Fucking Titties or a Fuckable Mouth (of the Succubus)" adds a slight bit of much-needed humor (not just because of its title) as the slow cadence of twinkling melodies and haunting strings is offset by a belligerent spoken word on materialism in the modern world. Rounding out the album is a series of remixes, with Dead Man's Hill's version of "The Whore" being especially impressive as it completely restructures the track into a horrific onslaught of operatic sorrow and monstrous atmospheres that is nothing short of epic. DYM's mix of this track also transforms the track into a noisy glitch-laden track that would almost certainly send listeners running to the dance floor, as would Vicious Alliance's mix of "Dreams Beyond the Northern Ocean." As stated, the production on this album is top-notch as each sound, sample, every drumbeat, every note resonates with clarity, never running the risk of destroying your stereo system, but always allowing the power of the music to continue its threats to seep into your psyche and send you into the grips of insanity. Barrrtt also deserves credit for strengthening his conceptual framework; gone are the Transformers samples, substituted for an intelligent selection of clips from various sources that actually do well to enhance the fractured atmosphere of the music rather than acting as a simple distraction from the lack of regular vocals as in most industrial and noise music these days, with the title being derived from Jewish mysticism about a group of succubi, thus exploring the female as demon, a concept that in fact led to delays in the album being printed due to "offensive content." Despite this, The Angels of Prostitution is one of those records that prove that there is still much ingenuity and innovation to be found in even the most mundane of musical genres, and signals the arrival of Worms of the Earth as a creative and vicious force in post-industrial music. -- Ilker Yücel |
