Alymysto- Atomgrad

Artist: Alymysto
CD Title: Atomgrad
Label: Onyxia
Reviewer: Matthew Johnson
Date: 4/23/06

Another promising new act from Finnish noise label Onyxia, Älymstö adds hints of slow percussion, acoustic instruments and lots of creepy vocal effects to the usual droning feedback for an effect that's thicker, more organic, and a lot creepier than the usual industrial ambient offerings. "Ihmisennakhaa," for example, features distorted static cutting off at random interludes, while hints of piano and creaking sounds add a sense of place, but it's not until the bits of raspy, growled Finnish speech and long drawn-out screams that you realize what sort of terrifying things happen in this particular place. The lack of English references in both the bits of conversation and the title itself make compositions like this all the more eerie for their lack of context. "Essence" is also particularly spine chilling, with demoniacally distorted speech interrupted only by the occasional slow breakbeat. "Kolminaisuus" is more atmospheric, with drones, bits of guitar, and lots of electronic sounds and radio interference, while the drones, squeaks and scratches of "Periplaneta A." conjure up an image of some animal moving blindly in a cave deep beneath the earth. Then there's "Insects," featuring a guest appearance from Aprox., which turns everything on its head by closing the album out with a cowboy speaking English and singing off-key along with finger-picked guitars. As unpredictable as Nurse With Wound and as fearsome as anything from In Slaughter Natives or Diamanda Galas, Atomgrad is a fine addition to any discerning noise fan's music collection.

Visit www.alymysto.com for more information.