UK-based act Popeyes Rapestation (being founding member Steve Strode and Rob Woodcock; both of them are in Fret! too) return with III: Abe Lincoln Nonce Hunter, once again paying tribute to our favourite hero, Popeye. Actually, our favourite sailor man seems to be quite an arrogant being with sadistic intentions and sarcastic ideas. Or is this album a tribute to the B.B.C. and slavery?
Anyway, the duo did pleasurefully record this new album in one single take, being an improvised live performance (they do work this way quite often, actually) done in early Spring 2013 at The Off Quay (in Newcastle-upon-Tyne); and in May 2013 the result got mastered in Northumberland. The record lacks of overdubs or additional mixes or additions, and aha, no instruments were used to create this recording!
Forty six minutes, that’s the length of this crazy and frenzy recording. Initially it starts somewhat semi-integer, yet pretty soon the noisy attacks erupt within pyroclastic proportions. The result is an amalgam of droning noisescapes, with subtle hints of Death Industrial and Power Electronics, yet deeply rooted within spheres of Harsh Noise and Noisecore, with inclusion of quite some references to Noise Wall.
Over three quarters of an hour is quite a bitter pill to swallow, for such sonic experience isn’t that easily digestible. But Noise fans will not be disappointed for the result has quite some variety. I wonder whether the duo did sort of prepare the direction they wanted to follow, but seen the cohesive result, it must be, at least partly. Besides, this stuff being recorded in one single take is almost unbelievable.
Actually, I think the song (aha, what’s in a word) has its lows and its heights. Certain excerpts are, but that isn’t but my personal opinion, quite attractive and catching, while some other extracts sound way too uninspired. Though, I think the whole journey builds up, step by step, getting deeper into the subject, and at last, coming to a breath-taking climax.
Toot toot!
[PS: this is a first review I write for Legs Akimbo; I recently got in touch with Neil, who owns this label, as well as Skullhouse and Locust Amber, and since Neil did send me quite some great stuff, you might expect much more reviews on stuff by these three labels in the near future]