Review: Various Artists – Soundwave Assassins 2

Various Artists
Soundwave Assassins 2

Backscatter
Out Now

With so many talented Salt Lake acts producing new music all over the place, it’s always welcoming to have a single disc that showcases the variety of their efforts. The second volume in the Soundwave Assassin series offers 13 compelling tracks balancing experimental, noise, harsh electronics and even some hip-hop from mostly Salt Lake artists. In’vektiv vs. P.C.P. roll out the haunting melodies and zinging that put you on the edge of your seat on “Broken on the Floor”—a perfect opener for the madness to be unleashed. Former Salt Lake resident and Modus Operandi writer Lexincrypt spreads the hate with “Some Other Way,” a glaringly ominous piece with heavily distorted vocals reminiscent of Hocico’s “Without a God.” With “Mechanos Failed,” Boundless brings out flawless aggression that begs to show up on the dance floor. Crunchy pounding crawls in with Diverje (Tommy T of DSBP) and Carphax Files, and a sampling of industrial rawness is indulged in with Roses and Exile and Twilight Transmissions. Although a bit of a misfit on this comp, Fixx & the insufferable noise machine break through the electronics with rapped lyrics and wicked beats—one of my favorites. It gets sexy with noise from Sonic Disorder and closes with Scapegoat, “The Abyss”—hypnotic ambience at its best. Circuit Surgeon, Little Sap Dungeon and Savant Garde are others who contribute to the pulsing life of our local music scene on this fantastic comp. It’s terrific that the local music scene is strong enough to represent itself with a disc like Soundwave Assassins 2. Backscatter has done it again.

 

This review originally appeared in Modus Operandi, June 2005, Issue 198.