Wednesday, December 21, 2016

CORY STRAND "HELLISH WRECKAGE: COLLECTED RECORDINGS 2012 - 2016" 4CDR (AOW 350)

Long delayed personal release compiling a wealth of unreleased material, as well as my tracks from hyper-limited releases from other labels and some compilations i've appeared on and some additional experimental recordings.  Some of these tracks are on my bandcamp, but many of them have been unheard for years, the remains of projects long begun but never finished, for various reasons.  Included:

a rework of a Richard Youngs track
remix of a Carrie track
tracks from my incomplete "Seven: A Reinterpretation" project
track for an unreleased comp for Faith Is Panic (now defunct)
all three tracks from my cassette "Jealousy," released on Vagary
a Charles Manson cover
a track from my incomplete "Breaking Bad" project
a Katy Perry/Mogwai mashup
four tracks from my incomplete sequel album to "Words And Dreams And A Million Screams" (Weezer reworks)
my track from the "Small Hours Goodtime Radio Hour" cassette, released on Vagary
a remix for one of Liam McGeorge's projects
my track for a compilation of Danzig noise covers
my track for a compilation of AC/DC noise covers
my track from the upcoming Beyonce noise tribute, released by Tapes For A Grey Future
my track from the HNW Netlabel's "100" compilation

Tons of stuff on this one showcasing all sorts of the sounds I mess around.  It's pretty exhaustive.  Packaged in a quadruple-capacity oversized jewel case.  The artwork on this one pays homage to my favorite noise album of all time.
Released in a limited edition of 10 hand-numbered copies, with a small informational insert detailing the genesis of each track.  $40 ppd. in the United States, $56 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

CURSES "THOUSAND FACED MOON" C46 (AOW 443)

Latest release from California's Curses, a project of A. Visser (Armor Breach, Insect Worship Collective.)  "Thousand Faced Moon"is a deeply eerie and ritualistic exploration of analog sound and traditional/ancient instrumentation.  Definitely music for moon-shrouded nights, the sickly ululations of imbalance and magick.  It's difficult to describe but it's haunting work: thick and distant but forcefully present at the same time, with echoes of Coil and the minimalist synth work of John Carpenter.  Perhaps some sort of dark, anti-kosmiche droned out psychedelia.
Dubbed onto black cassettes in real time direct from the original cassette master, which was sent to me by the artist.  Released in a limited edition of 20 hand-numbered copies.  $10 ppd. in the United States, $26 rest or world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

ADAM BIEL + FAMILY PLANNING "A YEAR OF VOICES TUNED TO SILENCE" C60 (AOW 445)

Very excited to be releasing this cassette, as this is the first time i've released work from some fellow Minneapolis noise artists.  Family Planning is the project of Thomas Boettner, who many will recognize as the owner/operator of the excellent Fuck Mtn. label.  For this album, he collaborates with experimental guitarist Adam Biel, and the result is a crushing cacophony of distortion, processed vocals, feedback and noise, all tracked live and shaped into a massive yet beautiful hellstorm of sound.  The tape pays homage to some of the important voices who left us in 2016.  Beautiful artwork/layout by Thomas as well.
Dubbed onto white cassettes and released in a limited edition of 15 hand-numbered copies.  $10 ppd. in the United States, $26 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

EUGENE CRITCHLEY "NECROCRACY" C30 (AOW 451)

A very special Eugene Critchley release recorded especially for Xmas 2016.  Even though this is still the standard droning bass-heavy walls the project is known for, the overall tone is a bit more sarcastic.  I don't want to spoil anything, but i'll just say this: I don't believe in God and i despise religion.
Dubbed onto black cassettes and released in a limited edition of 10 hand-numbered copies.  $10 ppd. in the United States, $26 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

EUGENE CRITCHLEY "DOORS AND BRIDGES" C30 (AOW 450)

Newest full-length from Eugene Critchley.  Two new 15 minute compositions that provide an introduction of sorts to the upcoming massive 2XC90 set "Abyssal Nihility," due out on Lurker Bias on 2017.  I've been getting into the writings of Keiji Nishitani, and these works, as well as those found on "Abyssal Nihility," are based on his ideas regarding emptiness, banality, and overcoming nihilism.  This cassette has a gorgeous layout to accompany the droning despondent walls contained within.
Dubbed onto black cassettes and released in a limited edition of 10 hand-numbered copies.  $10 ppd. in the United States, $26 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

Friday, December 9, 2016

BIG HOLE "GRIEF" 9CDr SET (AOW 440)

I am truly honored to be releasing this massive suite of compositions from Big Hole.  I am not going to say much about this recording's genesis, as I do not feel it is really my place to say anything about it.  It is a deeply personal work from the project; it is a document of personal process and an attempt at understanding something that defies understanding.
The nine pieces that make up "Grief" are some of the most searching, despondent, and emotional walls i've ever heard.  This is a work of minimalism and grey textures, abyssal feelings and a true sense of being hollowed out.  It is massive in the truest sense of the word.  Listening to this record is an experience, a deeply affecting and transformative one.
Many thanks to Christopher for trusting me with this release.  It is certain to be in my top releases for 2016, and i hope those that hear it will come to feel its intensity the way i have.
Packaged as nine separate albums, each with their own artwork.  The packaging is minimal and features photographs taken by me in Duluth, MN, at the end of November 2016.  Released in a limited edition of 15 hand-numbered copies.  $60 ppd. in the United States, $76 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

HOGGLE "THE WISEMAN AND THE HAT" C62 (AOW 415)

VERY excited to be releasing this lengthy cassette from Hoggle, as it's been in the works for a truly long time!  Hoggle has been one of my favorite HNW projects since i started Altar Of Waste, and I believe Joe and I began talking about doing this release together 3 or 4 years ago; i'm very excited to finally see it come to pass!  Hoggle is Joe's project based off of the beloved film Labyrinth, retaining the film's darkness and quirkiness in the walls that manifest themselves on this cassette.  What I like best about Hoggle is that across all of the project's releases, Joe has really mapped out the universe of the film and paid homage to all sorts of pieces of its world; Hoggle's releases seem to very much work as a narrative and a journey across the landscape of the film. 
The four walls here, too, are excellent, and very thoughtfully composed.  Loud, scathing, and choked with lovely textures, the pieces here are alive with a fierce and blistering energy.
Dubbed on green cassettes and released in a limited edition of 20 non-numbered copies.  I don't expect this tape will be around for long, as Hoggle material gets snatched up pretty quickly.  Don't sleep on this one.  $10 ppd. in the United States, $26 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

CORY STRAND "EXPRESSWAY TO YR. SKULL" C20 (AOW 449)

Third of my new SY reworks, this time working with one of my fave SY tracks (although i always work with my fave tracks, so i don't know why i'm really qualifying this statement), "Expressway To Yr. Skull," off of "EVOL."  Rather than use the album version, though, i decided to use the slightly more dangerous and unhinged live version of the track that the band performs on the 1991: The Year Punk Broke documentary.  These two walls are essentially just VERY deep and thick drones.  Heavy shit, man.
Released in a limited edition of 5 hand-numbered copies.  $8 ppd. in the United States, $24 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

CORY STRAND "VACUUM ANTHEM" 2XC60 SET (AOW 448)

The second of my new SY reworks, this time a truly gargantuan double cassette set of dense, oppressive droning walls made out of "The Trilogy," off of "Daydream Nation."  These four compositions are extremely overbearing; listening to these pieces through the headphones is at once calming and disorienting.  Melodic but crushing; drifting but drowning in oceans of sound.
Packaged as two separate cassettes, each with their own artwork.  Released in a limited edition of 5 hand-numbered copies.  $20 ppd. in the United States, $36 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

CORY STRAND "DIRTY BOOTS: A REINTERPRETATION" C21 (AOW 447)

First of three new cassettes working off of some of my favorite SY material.  This one uses the seminal track "Dirty Boots"; i transform the song into two melancholy, deep drone walls that hint at the nostalgic sadness that gives the song its considerable emotional power.  I remember watching the video when I was in my teens and early twenties and wishing that my life was more like what was happening in the video...
Dubbed on lavender cassettes and released in a limited edition of 5 hand-numbered copies.  $8 ppd. in the United States, $24 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

DEJECTION "DEFEAT" C62 (AOW 446)

A new recording in Dejection's ongoing "TMNT" series.  This one is very exciting for me as it marks a bit of a collaboration between myself and Gina.  For this album, Gina provided me with some field recordings she made, which I then processed into the two massive, deep droning walls that make up the cassette.  The second piece also features some very minimalist and cinematic synth work from me.  This particular cassette is meant to act as a soundtrack to the brutal issue "What Goes Around Comes Around," wherein the Shredder mysteriously returns and nearly kills Leonardo.  Perfect for Christmastime (devotees of the TMNT will know that this storyline takes place right before Xmas!)
Expect more collaborations between Gina and me in the future!
Dubbed on green cassettes and released in a limited edition of 5 hand-numbered copies.  $10 ppd. in the United States, $26 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

Friday, December 2, 2016

SHURAYUKI-HIME "MORI" C20 (AOW 406)

Shurayuki-hime returns to AOW for a third outing, this time eschewing the minimalist static explorations of the previous AOW recordings and delivering two massive, crackling, deep walls that rank among some of the best the project has done thus far.  Twenty minutes of thick, rumbling, bassed-out sonics that seep into your mind and numb it out beautifully.  Truly devastating, but meditative as well.  Fans of SH will not be disappointed by this one!  Very lovely artwork on this release to boot; i think it's quite a gorgeous little tape.
Released on lavender cassettes in a limited edition of 20 hand-numbered copies.  $8 ppd. in the United States, $24 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com