AVFN 'The Eternal Present' Review

'The Eternal Present' by A View From Nihil has been reviewed over at the Noise Admiration blog. For a while now, Sascha (the editor/author of Noise Admiration) has been establishing a new high-standard for HNW criticism by examining the style within the broader cultural context of music, art and philosophy. His reviews can be nothing less than the product love and inspiration, for he has clearly worked on them with as much determination, skill, and care as any of the music he has chosen to review, if not more so.

There's not a lot I can add to Sascha's observations and commentary, except to say that I more or less agree with them, and that, whilst I can imagine that his pointed condemnation of certain common practices amongst HNW artists will cause a certain amount of controversy amongst said artists, I have to say that I always consider it a good thing for someone to challenge mediocrity and meaningless creation. And I'm flattered that he has chosen an AVFN release as his spring-board to do so. Of course, Sascha's point is not exactly an original one, and the distinction made between those for whom HNW is an end in of itself, and those for whom such creation is merely a means to a much greater end, could be, and indeed has been, made equally for all forms of art. But what is most important here is that someone has finally started to unpack HNW using the tools of wider artistic criticism. This is surely the only way forward.

Remember: NO ENTERTAINMENT!

Void Sacrifice: HNW Zine

Sublime DIY noise label, Void Seance, has just published the first issue of its Void Sacrifice zine. Much like their other releases, this zine is beautiful to behold and its contents are of the highest relevance to harsh noise wall fans. Limited to one hundred copies, so grab it here.

Issue one of the long awaited VOID SACRIFICE sublet of Void Seance. Interviews with White Gimp Mask, Waterpower Electronics, Richard Ramirez. Gear discussion with The Rita and Vomir. 14 pages, b/w. Hand numbered, limited to 100 copies. Printed on Mohawk Britehue 60lb Gold Velum Text Weight.

AVFN, 'Primordial Sea', Live 14/11/11

I've made the first and only AVFN live presentation available for stream or download over at my bandcamp. The material is essentially a telescoped version of the new CDR out on Void Seance, entitled 'Primordial Sea'. It's an audience recording by KT/Skönhet - bootleg quality, but good enough for a listen.

AVFN - Primordial Sea, out now on Void Seance

A brand new full-length concept piece from A View From Nihil, entitled 'Primordial Sea', is available now from Void Seance. Evan (of Void Seance/Ritual Stance), who is a true artist and genuine professional, worked hard to make this the best looking and most complete AVFN release yet. Certainly the most satisfied I've been with a release since 'Triumph...'. Anyway, this is an edition of thirty copies only, of which the vast majority have already gone. So, if you'd like one, act fast.

AVFN, 'The Eternal Present', Review

A View From Nihil, 'The Eternal Present' CDr, released on Sweet Solitude, as part of their Infinity Series, has been reviewed over at Musique Machine. Please have a look. The release is OOP but you can still download or stream it for free over at the AVFN bandcamp page. I'm thinking I might like to reissue it, someday.

Vol. IV - Die Reitenden Leichen 'Rauschen & Simulation'

Bezüglich HNW und Ideologie

Rauschen und Simulation

Die Ideologie ist eine Simulation. Sie hat keinerlei wirkliche Bedeutung mehr. Sie ist in der westlichen Welt tatsächlich eine nostalgische Anrufung der Tat geworden. Die Aufmärsche, seien sie physischer oder verbaler Natur, erfüllen keinen anderen Zweck mehr als eine Selbstversicherung des Gebrauchtwerdens zu sein. Die Ideologien und ihre in der Aktion in die Tat umgesetzten Inhalte, dienen der Simulation von Nutzen. Sie ist eine Selbstbespiegelung ohne Außenwirkung.

Das statische Rauschen entpuppt sich als Ideologie des Nicht-Ideologischen. Man kann der Noise-Wand jede Bedeutung geben, ohne das sie jemals eine Bedeutung bekommt. Sie bleibt nur Rauschen. Nur Textur ohne Inhalt.

Die jeweils angefügten Inhalte sind Ideologie im Sinne der Simulation. Sie dienen keinem realen, also auf reale Wirkung ausgelegten, Zwecke mehr, sondern sind Staffage und Travestie. Somit zeigen diese Inhalte deutlich ihre inhaltsleere. Sie zeigen ihre Bedeutungslosigkeit durch die Zwecklosigkeit ihrer Dogmen.

Nichts verärgert und erschüttert den Traditionalisten, den Konservativen, den Revoluzzer oder Idealisten so sehr, wie die Verdeutlichung der Inhaltsleere seiner Werte in einer entwerteten Zeit.

Die Noise-Wand ist in sich bewegt, aber dennoch unbeweglich. Sie erfüllt keinen Zweck, hat keinen Sinn, sondern ist einfach da. Sie deutet nichts an und verspricht nichts. Sie ist kein Verweis auf etwas anderes, als auf sich selbst. Sie ist das wissende, stoische Schweigen.

Die angehefteten Fetische und Obsessionen der einzelnen Erzeuger sind bedeutungslos. Ungeachtet dessen, ob er oder sie dies weiß. Und eben gerade durch diese Bedeutungslosigkeit von Inhalten, ist die Noise-Wand die adequate Versinnbildlichung des Zustandes der post-modernen Epoche und ihrer Menschen.


English Translation:

Hissing & Simulation

The ideology is a simulation. It has no real meaning anymore. In the western world it has become an nostalgic calling of the act really. The marching-ups, either of physical or verbal nature, fulfill no other purpose than as a self-assurance of "being needed". The ideology and it's contents put into action, serve the simulation of use only. It is the self-admiration without external effect.

The static reveals itself as the ideology of the non-ideological. One can apply any meaning to the noise-wall, without itself gaining any meaning at all. It stays static. Texture without content.

Contents added in each case are only ideology in the sense of the simulation. They serve no ideological purpose based on real-life effects, but are merely decoration and travesty. Through that the contents clearly show their emptiness. They show their meaninglessness through the uselessness of their dogmas.

Nothing annoys and shakes the traditionalist, the conservative, the revolutionary or idealist as much as the elucidation of the content-wise emptiness of their values in devalued times.

The noise-wall is moving within itself, but unmoved nevertheless. It fulfills no purpose, makes no sense, but rather simply is. It suggests nothing and promises nothing. It is no link to anything but itself. It is the knowing, stoical silence.

The applied fetishes and obsessions of the single producer are meaningless. Regardless of whether he or she knows this. And exactly through this meaninglessness of contents, the noise-wall is an adequate epitome of the condition of the post-modern epoch and it's people.

***'Rauschen & Simulation' contains four tracks totalling thirty-nine minutes, in which time it crafts a static landscape with astounding levels of precision, clarity and focus. Stiletto tones and static needles evolve into an oppressive bass blur and crushing fuzz abrasions that wrestle for control of your speakers. Distant field recordings, taken from the inner-ears of an objective tinnitus sufferer, whine and crackle hypnotically. Angular shards rattle in a muffled hollow cloud, tossed around by vibrating wires of buzz. This record is a textural gauntlet that is much more in line with his criminally over-looked work as Iron Curtain than it is with previous DRL tape filth. Comes in shatter-proof jewel-case, with uniform Order of the HNW cover design and with Order of the HNW emblem sticker. Each booklet contains a written piece penned by the artist (see above).***

Prices, including postage, are:

Single Volume: £4.00 (UK), £5.00 (EU), £5.50 (USA, RoW)
Two Volumes: £7.00 (UK), £9.00 (EU), £9.50 (US, RoW)

Send payment in GBP to: orderofthehnw@gmail.com

Vol. III - Bachir Gemayel 'HNWar'

Harsh noise wall, a wall of sound, a wall of pure static, and a sound formed as a boundary. Boundaries are a form of limitations that involve two various parties that clash. When they clash, we have what we call war.

War is also a wall, a punishing, merciless wall that leaves no room for grey space. You cannot sit in between the two; you must join a side or fight both. War however is not a motionless entity, instead it is one that shifts and bends, like the battle for a city block, or a large building that would be considered a highly militaristic advantage.

Urban warfare in general is not consisted of great battles, but often short outbursts that occur and last somewhere between 10-30 minutes. This is the reasoning for the length of this release. In twenty minutes a team of armed soldiers can take on the enemy, destroy them, and then claim the territory for themselves.

These are the ideas behind Bachir Gemayel. As a tribute to my people who continue to fight, what seems to be the case today, an endless wall of enemies. It is their resistance as a wall that keeps the others out.

The quick pace and quick changes show the fierceness of war. Bullets flying past you, making nicks in the wall. There are car bombs tearing the concrete from underneath them and spraying bystanders. Screaming families hiding in stairwells, listening to the sound of RPGs hit their home. Slitting the throat of your enemies or intruders, leaving their world and their families in ruins.

The walls constructed are made of nothing more then misbaha beads and bullet casings, standard items either held or scattered around war torn areas of Lebanon. This is HNW on a realistic level. Inspired by life and the world around me, in the name of my people, I produce Walls of War.

***Bachir Gemayel presents a twenty-minute textural assault. This wall continuously moves, methodically and mercilessly, down textural avenues and alleyways of ruptured concrete and contorted steel. Throughout the piece, there is a tremendous sense of friction and violent tension between the frequencies, causing different lines of texture to, at times, meld into one another and, at others, to violently repel each other, giving birth to a multitude of textural contractions and expansions. The use of misbaha beads and bullet casings as source material, along with the absence of distortion effects, gives this material an organic tangibility that is often the backbone of quality noise. Comes in shatter-proof jewel-case, with uniform Order of the HNW cover design and with Order of the HNW emblem sticker. Each booklet contains a written piece penned by the artist (see above).***

Prices, including postage, are:

Single Volume: £4.00 (UK), £5.00 (EU), £5.50 (USA, RoW)
Two Volumes: £7.00 (UK), £9.00 (EU), £9.50 (US, RoW)

Send payment in GBP to: orderofthehnw@gmail.com