Envenomist - Abyssal Siege / Roman Torment - Skin Game (PACrec CDs)

Oh, why not? PACrec yesterday, PACrec today...let's keep the flow going, huh? Hey I could've spread these out over today AND tomorrow and believe me I was tempted to. Unfortunately I know nothing about either of these acts and both CDs are pretty short (30 minutes apiece) so I figgered it better to sammich them together right here right now. Upon doing no real research whatsoever I can safely say that Envenomist is David Reed aka Luasa Raelon though I'm not entirely sure what the reason is for the name change. I'm guessing Luasa Raelon is the harsher of the two projects but I wouldn't know since he cancelled the one time he was supposed to roll through my little villa. And Luasa Raelon CDs aren't exactly in popular demand here, at least not that I can see. Roman Torment meanwhile is a duo featuring Jeff "The Bewitscher" Witscher and Evan Pacewicz, Los Angeles bros and members of cults named Impregnable and Deep Jew (the former) and Moth Drakula (the latter).
Earliest catalogue number goes first and that'd be Envenomist's "Siege" which is split into four tracks averaging about nine minutes each and catalogues through a largely synth-driven dark ambient territory. Very much like the pivitol scene in the classic Monkey Island 2 when you catch a ride in an open coffin down a hazy green swamp to end up at the witchdoctor's house. Actually, that's the most perfect description for any sound I have ever come up with in the history of my life. But if you're looking for something a bit more conventional (or haven't played MI2, in which case I don't even think we should be talking) I would describe the Envenomist sound as very much influenced by early industrial/noise acts like Nurse with Wound, Runzelstirn & Gurgelstock or S.P.K.; cleaned-up Broken Flag droning basement piss; and a cross-pollination of current noise/drone excavators a la Hive Mind, Sunn O))), [the user], or Aube. Which is all pretty good if not terribly unique...still an interesting enough listen and there's certainly many other, worse ways to spend your money.
Roman Torment's "Skin Game" meanwhile gets right back to the harsh noise commonly found on the PACrec imprint...this album contains remasters of tracks from earlier releases "Black Spring" and "Bewilderment" plus new doses though I would never be able to tell you what's what. If you may allow me to get metaphorical again for a moment here I'll remind you of the Greek myth wherein Zeus chains Prometheus to a rock and sent an eagle to devour his regenerating liver over and over for some thirty years. "Skin Game" is kinda like that except it's thirty minutes instead of thirty years (though it may feel that long to some). Basically what I'm trying to you - if you'd let me finish - is that "Skin Game" is little more than a violent, repetitive, damaging assault and that's a compliment in the fullest sense of the word. I think part of the reason I got into noise in the first place was from listening to grindcore and wondering if music could ever get any faster. One document I would surely present in my argument titled Yes, It Can is this disc from Roman Torment, truly a chef d'oeuvre of furious and fierce fireworked fracas destined to curdle blood and inspire wanton acts of brutality amongst all those who pay it significant enough attention. Reaffirming and recommended!
Truly a stellar offering from Phil Blankenship's ship this time around but you and I have come to expect no less. The Romero and RxTx discs are amongst the best I've heard and the Envenomist is no slouch either. At under $10 a pop, you'd do well to invest some time and money in them too. And I swear I'm not on the payroll either - they're just that good.