BALBOA/NITROMEGAPRAYER - Split

BALBOA/NITROMEGAPRAYER
Split
Forge Again Records
7.5/10




Fans of noisy, experimental music will surely be attracted to this split set between Philadelphia’s Balboa and Japan’s insanely diverse Nitromegaprayer. There’s a lot to sink your teeth into here, with Balboa stepping things up in terms of musicianship and Nitromegaprayer proving that you can scream like an Abu Gharib prisoner over just about any type of music.

Firstly, Balboa shows a great amount of progression since their Manifeste Cannibale EP, their attack is more refined and determined and as they unleash the abrasive yet cohesive “Skeleton Bay.” Peter Bloom erupts in a fit of sandpaper-throated vocals here lashing out with a familiar mantra of “No Justice, No Peace” by the tracks end. As the discordant, uncontrollable “Curare” is ushered in by the rhythm team of bassist Armando Morales and drummer Drew Jurgens, the stage is set for a mid-tempo bashing that remains all the more abrasive when coupled with Bloom’s, rabid, irate vocals. But it’s the oddball track of the bunch, the instrumental “Renga” that really proves Balboa to be growing as musicians. Here, guitarist Dave Pacifico issues, bubbling, tap-delay sounds atop Jurgens’ rolling, polyrhythms. Finally, “Rotgut” kicks off with a galloping riff before lapsing into further instances of disharmonic outburst. The sound of Balboa is raw, volatile and sure to appeal to any noisecore fanatic.

On the flipside, Nitromegaprayer offer dialectic disharmony, pitting clean, shimmering guitar sounds versus a backdrop of tortured screaming. The three tracks supplied by the band for this split are performed in Japanese, not that you would be able to understand the squealing ranting of singer Tomo Nakano anyway, as his vocal eruptions are decidedly shrill and incoherent for the majority of the time. “Article 9” breaks down into a more subdued display, before erupting into further spastic noise. But it’s on “Filter” that Nitromegaprayer is most effective. Minimalist, clean guitar tones and fluttering, synthesized pulsations make way for further howling from Nakano, who at times sounds like he’s being castrated in a distant room. His vocals are almost miserably painful to listen to, for those who enjoy that sort of thing. Where the line is drawn between factual art and retarded raving is a subject that can be left to question.

This disc is certainly worth owning for those who are deeply into the noisier side of the musical spectrum, Balboa’s tracks making it worth the money alone. Let’s hope to see a full-length happen from the Philly crew in the near future.


By: Static