Two in one review: Audio Noir – Twilight Aftermath Album
and The Truth is on the Cutting Room Floor E.P
Audio Noir
Twilight Aftermath
11 Track Debut Album
Released 31st December 2001
Audio Noir – Los Angeles - USA
Links:
Genre: Rock/Metal
with psychotically autistic with necrophiliac tendencies.
Originally
started by Alex Cortes as a one man
project but since had other member’s join him along the way. This album is now
12 years old and hard to believe really as it sounds like something that should
be in the here and now.
Dry Eye
A very unusual
start to this album with the sound of an old stylus hitting an old vinyl 78 on
what sounds like an old gramophone (Look it up kids!) Nice crunchy guitar then
explodes into a hefty chugging rhythm with unusual gritty vocal holding superb
melodic tendencies. Lyrics are somewhat tongue in cheek and musically a good
mix of entertaining riffs, beats and rhythms - altogether a good rock track with
humour and expertly executed incorporating a lot in just one track that has a “sabbathesque”
ending.
Crashing into
the Nazca Spider
Some great
sound effects here Audio Noir meets
Dr Who. This is fast and frenzied and again very unusual. Loving the ferocity
of this track that sounds like a Dalek being exterminated in places. Great
drumming and guitar
Spiralling
Downward
Nothing
spiralling downward here it’s all going up – don’t think I have ever heard
guitar being played so fast - before now, that is. Vocally still as abrasive and gritty as the
first track – definitely unique, and quite balanced considering its array of
musical repartee with plenty to slam around your audials.
The Garden Grim
Some acoustic
strings now, nobody can say this is not a diverse album. It holds the interest
without a doubt as you wonder just what next is about to arrive from the
speakers. Here it’s an acoustic instrumental with background effects of a seaside
with soft vocals and really a beautiful track, proving Audio Noir is anything but black.
Mausoleum Floor
The sound of a
running stream and heavy footsteps then a growling guitar starts up and has a
rather sinister tone attached to it with a slow deep vocal however there is an
unusual melody running through it. It isn’t far removed from an old T Rex track
from the 70’s. It contains a solid rhythm and highly entertaining, with even a
bit of simple classic piano thrown in for good measure and what sounds like a
flute. Enjoying this track a lot!
Temper Tantrum
in C Flat
The turning of
an old radio dial and a strange distorted voice then a lot of harsh guitar
explodes and an equally evil vocal ensues then it stops and a sampled voice
begins with a rather sinister noise in the background and is quite enthralling
in its own way, the incidental music sample at the end is what they used to
play during old 70’s scary movies and a nice touch to end the track on.
Bread Circus
More incidental
sounds and a great drum beat and healthy chugging guitar – Dr Who has returned!!
Vocals return to the low tones and compliment the accompanying musical cacophony.
Not heard anything like this until now and probably never will again. Packed
with superb melodies and rhythms – great track.
Schizophrenic
Daydream
This track
springs to life with a pounding of drums and staggered effect guitar offering a
plethora of melodies and rhythms – again a little tongue in cheek but very fitting
for such a good rock track. It then
slows right down and a simple set of strings start up and some amazing sounds
start shrill, crisp and clear highly delightful it builds to superb proportions
although the vocal seems to be lost in the music – it moves on building further
and more edgy with amazing guitar riffs and drum beats galore. I doubt anyone
could even play air guitar as fast as this let alone a real guitar! – It is
really tremendous! This is like four tracks in one with all the twists and
turns it provides it leaves you dizzy with excitement further on towards the
end it gets rocky in tempo and smothers you in an array of musical excellence and
returning to its roots once again.
Persona Non
Grata
Continuing from
the previous track this one explodes into a fast raucous muse of guitar riffage
and damming drum beats. Slowing briefly
to expose a gravelly vocal amid a fast melodious riff. It contains an American drawl
with a high pitched female voice and is yet a song within a song and they keep
coming emerging just as you think it is going to end and each one more
interesting than the last, with rocky up tempo rhythms and gritty vocal – you can’t
help but love this.
Burning Witch
Festival
A French woman’s
sampled voice begins and then more acoustic strings giving a folk vibe to the
proceedings. Beautifully melodic and simple yet breath-taking all at once and
conjours up all sorts of weird images from its clear strings deftly played,
with passion.
Bluish Shade of
White
And moving on
to a more harsh guitar and plodding drum beat it twists and turns like a snake
it creeps forward and stops then another track takes over with scratchy vocal
and jagged guitar riffs, sung in a chant - this track also contains a lot of up
tempo melody and good old rock connotations with splendid drumming and devious
bass hooks giving out a sinister feel but the rhythms flurry and yank it back
from its less frenzied state – cleverly written indeed. To finish we have a
voice saying “This disc will self-destruct in 5 seconds!”
To sum up:
Well I can
honestly say I have never heard anything like this before. It is wild, Unique and unusual. Songs within
songs that is definitely exceptional and so expertly executed and performed.
From start to finish I have been gripped by every note and beat on this CD.
No doubt in my
mind that Alex Cortes and his band
are genius’s to come up with something so complex and yet so simple with clever
use of samples and drum programming – although Alex now has a drummer in the
shape of Mark O’Sullivan but apparently this was before Mark’s time with the
band.
I am thoroughly
amazed by this album. It is really hard to describe everything that is
contained within it. From strange
sampled noises, disembodied voices, harsh abrasive guitar riffs, to quiet
beautiful acoustic strings and songs within songs it’s highly evocative and
provokes the listener to think about what is being played and it isn’t all
tongue in cheek either offering some serious thought provoking lyrics it is
like going to a shop and finding everything under one roof this is probably the
best way to describe this album – A highly recommended listen if you like your
horizons broadened.
For people of a
nervous disposition approach with care as you will get an audial battering but
also a kiss so sweet from the acoustics you will forget all about it! And to
think I was a little dubious about this CD – goes to show you should NEVER
judge anything before listening – sound advice! Sound album!
Enjoy!
10/10
Track List:
Dry Eye
Crashing into the Nazca Spider
Spiralling Downward
The Garden Grim
Mausoleum Floor
Temper Tantrum in C Flat
Bread Circus
Schizophrenic Daydream
Persona Non Grata
Burning Witch Festival
Bluish Shade of White
Members:
Alex Cortes - All instruments and vocals (including drum machine
programming) He was, however, greatly assisted by the following:
John "Rasputin" Worley: Most all the guitar leads
Brownynn Rose Saifer: Flute on "Dry Eye", dunce on
"Persona Non Grata"
Xavier Valdayron: String arrangement / sounds on "Garden
Grim"
Marianne Paulot: Announcer MC on "Burning Witch Festival"
And featuring, of course, the Demons Cast out Of Hell for Having
Tourette's Syndrome Girl's Tabernacle Choir.
Shamanavatar Randy Coleman: Spiritual Guidance
Official
Line-up for Audio Noir is now:
Alex Cortes – Bass/Vocals
Dimitri Mandylor: Guitar
Mark O'Sullivan: Drums
************************************************
Audio Noir
The Truth is on the Cutting Room Floor
5 Track E.P.
Released 01 May 2011
Audio Noir – Los
Angeles, USA
Links:
http://lanoir.bandcamp.com/
Genre: Rock/Metal
with psychotically autistic with necrophiliac tendencies.
So moving on some
ten years later now since “Twilight
Aftermath” one of the most amazing albums I have ever heard and I can’t wait
any longer to see what this 5 Track E.P. brings although in ten years – can Alex
get any more – zany? Or indeed incredible in a few minutes I shall know...
Judging from the titles on this E.P. I can already see a change but that’s it I
can wait no more...
Cunt Factor
This has a much
more crisp sound than on the previous album and sounds more metal but just as
melodic with nice driving rhythms. Alex’s vocals do sound like T Rex though so
not losing the 70’s rock feel which I actually think is a good thing. The
guitar is now a lot more stable in the fact it isn’t as crazy as on the album –
although I love crazy guitar! The production is a lot more crisp and there isn’t
a song within a song here what you get is a superb rock track with clout!
Black Rat
Sleazy opener
with stupendous chug effect and damming rhythms but still with that tongue in
cheek feel :D Vocals are not sung but spoken to music. Suddenly the track slows
and yet another side emerges softer with deftly played string arrangement and
then it explodes into a hard rhythm – goody Alex has carried on with the song
within a song theme – makes for exciting listening and this track is no exception
and houses something of a psychedelic feel with good harmonies about it.
The One Percent
Another
acoustic track comes to life – although I am not a usual listener of acoustic
stuff I am however loving all Alex’s acoustic numbers and this one is similar
to the one from the Twilight album with softer vocal, distorted, intriguing and
the added “clapping” really adds a nice touch to the track. The harmonies are
superb! Further on in the track a raucous array of drums and guitar batters the
ears and in keeping with the rock genre incorporates unusual timings but never
losing momentum or melody – loving this track!
Hammers &
Bricks
Heavy and
raucous with a nice gritty vocal and back to the fast and frenzied fretwork with an all-round balanced track and clever use of harmonies.
Winter (Into
the Heart of Darkness)
Awesome strings
again reminding me of winter snowflakes so gentle and sweet offering as you
would expect a softer vocal. In true Alex style the build-up brings a more
metal flavour but not losing the rock influence and is highly intense listening
packed with amazing melodic riffs and ending with funky bass.
To sum up:
This is a very
diverse E.P just as the album and again from start to finish I have NOT been
disappointed with the work that has gone into crafting such a masterpiece. It
really is unique and offers everything although the sound is a lot more
sophisticated but the playing is just as amazing as it was in 2001.
I can’t quite
call it metal but it is definitely rock with a resounding capital R. The music
contained on the E.P lacks nothing and again a recommended listen if you like
something different and unusual.
I am really
interested to see where Alex and Audio
Noir are now on the scale (or off it as the case maybe) I love the fact you
get two or three different tracks within one it is highly innovative and I urge
fellow rockers out there to listen to it - if you don’t you are missing out on
something very special indeed.
10/10
Track List:
Cunt Factor
Black Rat
The One Percent
Hammers & Bricks
Winter (Into the Heart of Darkness)
Members:
Alex Cortes - All instruments and vocals (including drum machine
programming)
John Worley - Lead Guitar on 'WINTER (Into the Heart of Darkness)
Shamanavatar Randy Coleman: Spiritual Guidance
Official
Line-up for Audio Noir is now:
Alex Cortes – Bass/Vocals
Dimitri Mandylor: Guitar
Mark O'Sullivan: Drums
