Human Weapon - Tantalizing So Many

The project originally began under the name of Tutankhymen. 2007 marked the beginning of the rhythmic industrial act Human Weapon. The artist known as Glenn from Houston, Texas, describes his music as, intelligent tunes colliding with pounding grooves driven by a kick drum on steroids. This is a 13 track album available as a free download from Bandcamp. A 10 track album of the same name but labelled 'Deluxe version' by this artist has also been released by Montfort Records.

This is self-labelled as IDM, it seems anything a little bit weird these days is labelled as IDM. For me this isn't quite weird enough, we don't want to get hung up on labels but it is our job to give the reader an idea of what they will listen to, should they wish to do so. So let's go for Noize. It could be considered abstract but neither has it got the elements of Powernoise which make it structured and danceable.

A piece of electronically generated noise with some tracks not without rhythm, although harmony and melody generally have been dispensed with. It has in abundance the elements of extreme volume and distortion that contemporary noise music is most often associated with.

Some of the more standard noise tracks are worth checking out if you like this kind of music such as "Moan 'Til Morning" and "Yall Remember The Truth Don't You?" Others such as "Humen" which is full of ghastly honking noises take on a more experimental feel but in general all just consist of lots of repetitive beats. That track really is an attack on the ears.

"Dreemusheen" at times shows hope and comes close to resembling power noise. I like the way some of the synth sounds appear from behind the constant pounding drums. "We Found Signals" really is a piece of drumming monotony and very little else. But the 'little else' does show in places some glimmers of more melodic life. Tracks like "Ototoxic" dispenses with all the musical conventions I hold close to my heart, as does "Playing Mantra", which again just resembles a mass of repetitive beats.

"Vapid Bathos" brings a change with amongst the distorted drum beats there is rhythm and melody, made by some nice synth lines. These lines even come to prominence at times. The change wasn't continued for long as "Doppelgänger (Homage to Moreau)" brings another harsh noize repetitive assault on the senses.

"Fox" again features prominent sythns but again repetition and monotony soon show their faces. It's contrasts and changes also make little sense to me. The aptly named "My Mind Is A Rhythm Box" is as close to standard powernoise that we have heard yet and almost has a danceable jungle drum like beat.

Don't miss "Paparazzi Weaponized", the artists version of the Lady Gaga track. A classic example of something not to do. I have enjoyed some industrial remixes of Lady Gaga's work such as of 'Bad Romance', but this is an abomination. The album finishes with "Hardstyle", which is to me just more plain noize , it's certainly 'Hard' to listen to.

Conclusion
As for being advertised as "tracks for the whooole family to enjoy, even you grandma", somehow I very much doubt it! If you like power noise/rhythmic noise or noise in general then check it out. Or if you find traditional melodic music confining, then you may also wish to do so.

I usually write a review in one sitting, but with this I had to take a break half way through. I also lost my usual audience who come to hear some new music by the end of the 3rd track. I think that will tell you everything you need to know. Sep 22 2012