The Pitch: Hydra Head opens Pandora's box to unleash the soul-rending noise/grind of Japanese band Endon. FFO: Dendritic Arbor, Gnaw Their Tongues, Nostromo
What I Like: I feel like Through the Mirror would be perfect for one of those "react" or "try to listen without" videos. I would be genuinely amused to see how many brave souls survive the first track. Endon don't so much create music as endurance trials. Each track is an abrasive, grating wall of noise with the sole objective of breaking you. Much of the duration is purposefully amelodic, consisting of biting/chaotic vocals that make early Converge sound like Frank Sinatra. Entire songs are dedicated to anxiety-provoking samples and vicious distortion. There are a few clever hooks and solos buried deep within this sonic assualt, but it is not until "Torch Your House" that we recieve any true sense of reprieve.
Critiques: I'm not much for raw noise, so a few of these tracks have me wondering where the line between art and random acts of violence lies.
The Verdict: How long do you think you can last? If you're questioning the worth of such a test, I encourage you to skip forward to some of the tracks below to dig a bit further into what this band is capable of. Get it today.
Flight's Fav's: Your Ghost Is Dead, Pensum, Torch Your House