CORY STRAND "HELLISH WRECKAGE: COLLECTED RECORDINGS 2012 - 2016" 4CDR (AOW 350)

Long delayed personal release compiling a wealth of unreleased material, as well as my tracks from hyper-limited releases from other labels and some compilations i've appeared on and some additional experimental recordings.  Some of these tracks are on my bandcamp, but many of them have been unheard for years, the remains of projects long begun but never finished, for various reasons.  Included:

a rework of a Richard Youngs track
remix of a Carrie track
tracks from my incomplete "Seven: A Reinterpretation" project
track for an unreleased comp for Faith Is Panic (now defunct)
all three tracks from my cassette "Jealousy," released on Vagary
a Charles Manson cover
a track from my incomplete "Breaking Bad" project
a Katy Perry/Mogwai mashup
four tracks from my incomplete sequel album to "Words And Dreams And A Million Screams" (Weezer reworks)
my track from the "Small Hours Goodtime Radio Hour" cassette, released on Vagary
a remix for one of Liam McGeorge's projects
my track for a compilation of Danzig noise covers
my track for a compilation of AC/DC noise covers
my track from the upcoming Beyonce noise tribute, released by Tapes For A Grey Future
my track from the HNW Netlabel's "100" compilation

Tons of stuff on this one showcasing all sorts of the sounds I mess around.  It's pretty exhaustive.  Packaged in a quadruple-capacity oversized jewel case.  The artwork on this one pays homage to my favorite noise album of all time.
Released in a limited edition of 10 hand-numbered copies, with a small informational insert detailing the genesis of each track.  $40 ppd. in the United States, $56 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

CURSES "THOUSAND FACED MOON" C46 (AOW 443)

Latest release from California's Curses, a project of A. Visser (Armor Breach, Insect Worship Collective.)  "Thousand Faced Moon"is a deeply eerie and ritualistic exploration of analog sound and traditional/ancient instrumentation.  Definitely music for moon-shrouded nights, the sickly ululations of imbalance and magick.  It's difficult to describe but it's haunting work: thick and distant but forcefully present at the same time, with echoes of Coil and the minimalist synth work of John Carpenter.  Perhaps some sort of dark, anti-kosmiche droned out psychedelia.
Dubbed onto black cassettes in real time direct from the original cassette master, which was sent to me by the artist.  Released in a limited edition of 20 hand-numbered copies.  $10 ppd. in the United States, $26 rest or world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

ADAM BIEL + FAMILY PLANNING "A YEAR OF VOICES TUNED TO SILENCE" C60 (AOW 445)

Very excited to be releasing this cassette, as this is the first time i've released work from some fellow Minneapolis noise artists.  Family Planning is the project of Thomas Boettner, who many will recognize as the owner/operator of the excellent Fuck Mtn. label.  For this album, he collaborates with experimental guitarist Adam Biel, and the result is a crushing cacophony of distortion, processed vocals, feedback and noise, all tracked live and shaped into a massive yet beautiful hellstorm of sound.  The tape pays homage to some of the important voices who left us in 2016.  Beautiful artwork/layout by Thomas as well.
Dubbed onto white cassettes and released in a limited edition of 15 hand-numbered copies.  $10 ppd. in the United States, $26 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

EUGENE CRITCHLEY "NECROCRACY" C30 (AOW 451)

A very special Eugene Critchley release recorded especially for Xmas 2016.  Even though this is still the standard droning bass-heavy walls the project is known for, the overall tone is a bit more sarcastic.  I don't want to spoil anything, but i'll just say this: I don't believe in God and i despise religion.
Dubbed onto black cassettes and released in a limited edition of 10 hand-numbered copies.  $10 ppd. in the United States, $26 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

EUGENE CRITCHLEY "DOORS AND BRIDGES" C30 (AOW 450)

Newest full-length from Eugene Critchley.  Two new 15 minute compositions that provide an introduction of sorts to the upcoming massive 2XC90 set "Abyssal Nihility," due out on Lurker Bias on 2017.  I've been getting into the writings of Keiji Nishitani, and these works, as well as those found on "Abyssal Nihility," are based on his ideas regarding emptiness, banality, and overcoming nihilism.  This cassette has a gorgeous layout to accompany the droning despondent walls contained within.
Dubbed onto black cassettes and released in a limited edition of 10 hand-numbered copies.  $10 ppd. in the United States, $26 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

BIG HOLE "GRIEF" 9CDr SET (AOW 440)

I am truly honored to be releasing this massive suite of compositions from Big Hole.  I am not going to say much about this recording's genesis, as I do not feel it is really my place to say anything about it.  It is a deeply personal work from the project; it is a document of personal process and an attempt at understanding something that defies understanding.
The nine pieces that make up "Grief" are some of the most searching, despondent, and emotional walls i've ever heard.  This is a work of minimalism and grey textures, abyssal feelings and a true sense of being hollowed out.  It is massive in the truest sense of the word.  Listening to this record is an experience, a deeply affecting and transformative one.
Many thanks to Christopher for trusting me with this release.  It is certain to be in my top releases for 2016, and i hope those that hear it will come to feel its intensity the way i have.
Packaged as nine separate albums, each with their own artwork.  The packaging is minimal and features photographs taken by me in Duluth, MN, at the end of November 2016.  Released in a limited edition of 15 hand-numbered copies.  $60 ppd. in the United States, $76 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

HOGGLE "THE WISEMAN AND THE HAT" C62 (AOW 415)

VERY excited to be releasing this lengthy cassette from Hoggle, as it's been in the works for a truly long time!  Hoggle has been one of my favorite HNW projects since i started Altar Of Waste, and I believe Joe and I began talking about doing this release together 3 or 4 years ago; i'm very excited to finally see it come to pass!  Hoggle is Joe's project based off of the beloved film Labyrinth, retaining the film's darkness and quirkiness in the walls that manifest themselves on this cassette.  What I like best about Hoggle is that across all of the project's releases, Joe has really mapped out the universe of the film and paid homage to all sorts of pieces of its world; Hoggle's releases seem to very much work as a narrative and a journey across the landscape of the film. 
The four walls here, too, are excellent, and very thoughtfully composed.  Loud, scathing, and choked with lovely textures, the pieces here are alive with a fierce and blistering energy.
Dubbed on green cassettes and released in a limited edition of 20 non-numbered copies.  I don't expect this tape will be around for long, as Hoggle material gets snatched up pretty quickly.  Don't sleep on this one.  $10 ppd. in the United States, $26 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

CORY STRAND "EXPRESSWAY TO YR. SKULL" C20 (AOW 449)

Third of my new SY reworks, this time working with one of my fave SY tracks (although i always work with my fave tracks, so i don't know why i'm really qualifying this statement), "Expressway To Yr. Skull," off of "EVOL."  Rather than use the album version, though, i decided to use the slightly more dangerous and unhinged live version of the track that the band performs on the 1991: The Year Punk Broke documentary.  These two walls are essentially just VERY deep and thick drones.  Heavy shit, man.
Released in a limited edition of 5 hand-numbered copies.  $8 ppd. in the United States, $24 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

CORY STRAND "VACUUM ANTHEM" 2XC60 SET (AOW 448)

The second of my new SY reworks, this time a truly gargantuan double cassette set of dense, oppressive droning walls made out of "The Trilogy," off of "Daydream Nation."  These four compositions are extremely overbearing; listening to these pieces through the headphones is at once calming and disorienting.  Melodic but crushing; drifting but drowning in oceans of sound.
Packaged as two separate cassettes, each with their own artwork.  Released in a limited edition of 5 hand-numbered copies.  $20 ppd. in the United States, $36 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

CORY STRAND "DIRTY BOOTS: A REINTERPRETATION" C21 (AOW 447)

First of three new cassettes working off of some of my favorite SY material.  This one uses the seminal track "Dirty Boots"; i transform the song into two melancholy, deep drone walls that hint at the nostalgic sadness that gives the song its considerable emotional power.  I remember watching the video when I was in my teens and early twenties and wishing that my life was more like what was happening in the video...
Dubbed on lavender cassettes and released in a limited edition of 5 hand-numbered copies.  $8 ppd. in the United States, $24 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

DEJECTION "DEFEAT" C62 (AOW 446)

A new recording in Dejection's ongoing "TMNT" series.  This one is very exciting for me as it marks a bit of a collaboration between myself and Gina.  For this album, Gina provided me with some field recordings she made, which I then processed into the two massive, deep droning walls that make up the cassette.  The second piece also features some very minimalist and cinematic synth work from me.  This particular cassette is meant to act as a soundtrack to the brutal issue "What Goes Around Comes Around," wherein the Shredder mysteriously returns and nearly kills Leonardo.  Perfect for Christmastime (devotees of the TMNT will know that this storyline takes place right before Xmas!)
Expect more collaborations between Gina and me in the future!
Dubbed on green cassettes and released in a limited edition of 5 hand-numbered copies.  $10 ppd. in the United States, $26 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

SHURAYUKI-HIME "MORI" C20 (AOW 406)

Shurayuki-hime returns to AOW for a third outing, this time eschewing the minimalist static explorations of the previous AOW recordings and delivering two massive, crackling, deep walls that rank among some of the best the project has done thus far.  Twenty minutes of thick, rumbling, bassed-out sonics that seep into your mind and numb it out beautifully.  Truly devastating, but meditative as well.  Fans of SH will not be disappointed by this one!  Very lovely artwork on this release to boot; i think it's quite a gorgeous little tape.
Released on lavender cassettes in a limited edition of 20 hand-numbered copies.  $8 ppd. in the United States, $24 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

PHANTOM CADAVER "REALMS OF THE MACABRE" CDR (AOW 427)

Phantom Cadaver returns to AOW with a loose continuation of the work begun on the project's last AOW release, "Maze Of Morbidity."  "Realms Of The Macabre" continues down that path, pulling the listener further into dark areas of depravity and over-the-top madness.  This release is epic in every sense of the word, comprised of a truly destructive 80 minute wall that progresses through a number of distinct movements without ever sounding like anything other than a composed whole.  It's pretty much a descent into hell.  It is true wall horror for the HNW devotee, and again demonstrates why Phantom Cadaver deserves a place among the genre masters.  Gloriously, unbelieveably great stuff here, from one of the best in the field.
Packaged in a DVD case and released in a limited edition of 15 hand-numbered copies.  $10 ppd. in the United States, $26 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

KOSMODROM "CONQUEST OF SPACE" C30 (AOW 395)

Very honored to be unveiling this cassette from Kosmodrom, the fantastic new kosmiche noise project from Aleksandar Nenad (whom many will recognize as the mind behind the now-defunct Dead Body Collection.)  Though Kosmodrom has since released several outstanding cassettes, "Conquest Of Space" is the project's sophomore effort, and represents an amazing synthesis of cosmic psychedelic synth/theremin sounds alongside truly massive HNW clouds.  The sound of space collapsing in on itself, essentially.  Utterly engulfing, beautifully expansive noise, a totally new sound that is simply some of the coolest work being done in the genre right now.  I was very pleased when Alex asked me to release this, and i hope fans of the project, and of Alex's work overall, will find much to enjoy here.
The cassette is one of the loveliest I've done through AOW, with full colour labels on transparent red Chrome cassettes, and a gorgeous, deeply colour saturated layout by me that reflects the project's themes and interests.
Released in a limited edition of 50 hand-numbered copies.  $8 ppd. in the United States, $24 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

URBAN DECAY "V" 4CDR (AOW 431)

Very pleased to be releasing this new set from Mitchell Rotunno's (The Ebony Tower, (A)sex) Urban Decay project.  Urban Decay, while rooted in the form of HNW, takes things further out, existing in an empty zone of hollow and distant shredded HNW that veers on ANW.  It's like looking through a muddled foggy window pane at structures that seem to offer some semblance of shape and familiarity, but are really illusory objects of unknown origin.  This is some seriously dark and cold material, unsettling in the best possible way.  The four pieces here are essentially a severely prolonged feeling of dread and darkness, disorientation taken to its limit, the boundaries of existential malaise.  It's beautiful, forward-thinking soundcraft, and I get lost in it every time i listen to it.
Packaged in a DVD case and released in a limited edition of 10 hand-numbered copies.  $25 ppd. in the United States, $41 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

SHE WALKS CROOKED " A DANCE INTO DARKNESS" 3CDR (AOW 432)

Very pleased to be releasing this new three-disc set from She Walks Crooked.  "A Dance Into Darkness" is inspired by Bela Tarr's beautiful, glacial, and unnerving film Werckmeister Harmonies.  I don't want to ruin anything for anyone who has not seen it, but Tarr is a singular filmmaker whose only real contemporary is Tarkovsky.  SWC's work here is thoughtfully composed blasts of shifting, dense, crushing and LOUD HNW, echoing the psychic detritus of the film.  Masterful stuff as always from SWC, and sure to disappear quickly.
Released in a DVD case in a limited edition of 10 hand-numbered copies.  $20 ppd. in the United States, $36 rest of world. 

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

CORY STRAND "THE DIAMOND SEA: A REINTERPRETATION" C90 (AOW 428)

Crumbling, distant, and severely DEEP ANW reworks of Sonic Youth's seminal track, the epic "The Diamond Sea."  This song was pretty much the template for my band the Kafka Dreams, and the level of formless, gorgeous noise SY creates on this track were the zone we all aspired to arrive at collectively during our live performances (echoes of our approach can still very much be heard in Dreamless, especially during our very infrequent live performances.)  I spent MONTHS reworking this track and creating these pieces, trying to get at the right sound; many prior attempts were trashed and destroyed.  These two pieces are exactly what I want them to be.  If you've enjoyed my work as Eugene Critchley, you'll enjoy this cassette as well.  90 minutes of epic, bass-heavy sonorous drift.
Released in a limited edition of 5 hand-numbered copies.  $10 ppd. in the United States, $26 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

CORY STRAND "EVERY GOOD BOY DESERVES FUDGE: A REINTERPRETATION" 6CDR (AOW 429)

Deep ambient rework of one of my very favorite records of all time, Mudhoney's "Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge."  I listened to this record constantly in my teens and still spin it regularly to this day; in the 23 years or so since i first heard it, it has lost none of its emotional rawness or power.  All of Mudhoney's songs were about depression, heartbreak, and suicidal feelings, and they never crafted a more focused synthesis of those three subjects than on this record.  It's fucking devastating.
My rework is nearly 8 hours of hollow and chilling ambient and drone, attempting to augment the record's intense despondency and sadness.  I think I've done pretty well with it.
Packaged in a DVD case in a limited edition of 5 hand-numbered copies.  $35 ppd. in the United States, $51 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

CORY STRAND "BOOGIE NIGHTS: COMPLETE" 27CDR + DVD-R BOX SET (AOW 435)

Huge rework of both volumes of the soundtrack for P.T. Anderson's magnificent film Boogie Nights.  To say this film ha been an influence on me is an understatement; it is simply one of my very favorite films of all time, and one of the films that changed the way I looked at cinema, inspiring me to make it the focus of my academic life.  I saw this in the theaters in 1997, on a whim, without knowing anything about the film or its director.  I came out of the theater changed, convinced of the power of cinema to move me emotionally and open me up to experiences with art that I had not had prior.  The film is a stunning panorama of image and sound, comparable to the best work of Martin Scorsese, but existing in its own thematic universe.  There is not a single wasted moment in this film, no image that isn't glorious, no performance that isn't outstanding (Mark Wahlberg's performance as Dirk still gives me goosebumps every time i watch this film, and Burt Reynolds has never been better as a Jamie Gillis-type producer of pornography.)  The soundtrack, comprised of disco and rock hits from the 1970s and early 1980s, is a masterful example of curation (and a lot of fun, to boot.)  It's a stunner, and I've wanted to do this rework for a long time.
The set is made up of 27 discs of frigid, melancholic ambient crafted from the film's OST, with an HNW "Totality" recording of the entire film's audio track on DVD-R.  Each disc is housed in a black sleeve and accompanied by a double-sided full frame art card utilizing my favorite images from the film, with each card and disc then housed in a clear plastic bag; the entire set is housed inside a wooden box, hand-lettered by me, with an additional info card (the presentation is very similar to my large "The Virgin Suicides: Complete" set.)  All of the screen grabs were done by me personally from a blu-ray transfer of the film.
Released in a limited edition of 3 hand-numbered copies.  $275 ppd. in the United States, $291 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

CORY STRAND "I KNOW WHO KILLED ME: A REINTERPRETATION" 25CDR +DVD-R SET (AOW 436)

Massive rework of Joel McNeely's score for the maligned Lindsay Lohan neo-noir I Know Who Killed Me.  For all the shit people toss at her, Lindsay has actually chosen some daring roles; her work in this film stands as perhaps her most interesting (aside from her role in Paul Schrader's The Canyons.)  I hadn't done any Lindsay-themed work in awhile, and I thought a detailed exploration of this film's stellar score (it really is quite lovely and haunting) would make for a good deluxe set.
The set is comprised of 25 ambient pieces crafted from the film's score, in varying lengths, plus an HNW "Totality" rework of the entire film's audio track on DVD-R.  Packaged in 26 separate DVD cases, each with their own artwork utilizing my favorite images from and ephemera associated with the film.  All of the screen grabs were done by me personally from a blu-ray transfer of the film.
Released in a limited edition of 3 hand-numbered copies.  $260 ppd. in the United States, $276 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

CRITCHLEY LETALIS "THE TERRORISM OF MODERNITY" C60 (AOW 426)

Critchley Letalis is a new collaborative project between Eugene Critchley and Dosis Letalis focused on political and social pessimism.  "The Terrorism Of Modernity" is a monumental slab of epic walling, with both projects bringing their distinctive sounds to the work: Eugene Critchley's throbbing, dense, bass-driven pollution meshes beautifully with Dosis Letalis' tense and bitter crackling.  Simply one of the coolest records i've been involved with.
Released in a limited edition of 20 hand-numbered copies.  $10 ppd. in the United States, $26 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

EUGENE CRITCHLEY "PERVASIVE WORTHLESSNESS" C60 (AOW 430)

The seventh Eugene Critchley full-length.  Massive, dense, and hopelessly empty bass-ridden drone noise wall full of anger, bitterness, and sorrow.  This is probably the "heaviest" EC album, and also one of the most personal recordings i've made.  Sadness will prevail; sometimes it seems that sadness is all existence is.
Released in a limited edition of 20 hand-numbered copies.  $10 ppd. in the United States, $26 rest of world.

You can listen to the album here:

https://corystrand.bandcamp.com/album/pervasive-worthlessness

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

EUGENE CRITCHLEY "PESSIMISM TOTALE" 2XC60 SET (AOW 416)

Eugene Critchley's third full length is a massive set of utterly despondent DNW dedicated to illuminating various modes of pessimistic thought and the enervating nature of existence.  Across four lengthy walls of emptiness and bass-drenched sorrow, the suffering inherent in the act of living becomes apparent.  It has been remarked that no true pessimist ever commits suicide; "Pessimism Totale" takes that statement as a challenge and looks to force consideration on that matter, defiantly asking, "Why not commit suicide in the face of endless misery and sorrow?"  Is there a point to life when life is only a collage of hurts and regrets?  Camus' solution, that life should be met with scorn, rings hollow to me, as scorn doesn't much matter to a universe utterly indifferent to human feeling.  This life is nothing but ache, nothing but yearning.  This life is nothing.
Packaged as a double cassette set, with each tape having its own layout.  This is really one of the loveliest sets i've done, and i'm very proud of the music here as well.  Total depression.  Released in a limited edition of 10 hand-numbered copies.  $20 ppd. in the United States, $36 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

EUGENE CRITCHLEY/N0123NOISE "SPLIT" C90 (AOW 424)

A split between Eugene Critchley and N0123NOISE, united in pessimism, despair, and hopelessness.  The sheer bleakness on display throughout this cassette threatens to overwhelm, with two 45 minutes compositions from each artist that betray a shared belief in existence as sorrow.  Massively, crushingly, empty and resigned to life's meaningless, yet somehow still tortured by an undefinable lack, the feeling of something missing.  Maybe something that was never there to begin with.  Maybe only a yearning.  But that yearning is haunting.  And that yearning hurts.  And it doesn't stop hurting.  Drone noise wall and pitch black death ambient.  The true bleak.
Released in a limited edition of 20 hand-numbered copies.  $10 ppd. in the United States, $26 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

N0123NOISE "MAYBE ONE DAY I WILL FIND HAPPINESS" C90 (AOW 422)

N0123NOISE returns to AOW with a full-length cassette of utterly despondent, torturously empty drone and ambient compositions, perfect for lonely contemplation of life's unending miseries and sadnesses.  "Maybe One Day I Will Find Happiness," despite its title, offers no real hope at all, instead suggesting that the quest for finding anything that makes life meaningful is doomed to failure simply by virtue of the basic fact that existence is only suffering to varying degrees.  Happiness is fleeting, forever condemned to be only a memory of a specific moment, a moment whose impact recedes over time; memories that fade with each passing day, becoming only wisps of fragile emotion barely recalled.  Total hopelessness; we are all lost and alone, forever.
Released in a limited edition of 20 hand-numbered copies.  $10 ppd. in the United States, $26 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

CORY STRAND "THE VIRGIN SUICIDES: COMPLETE" 27CDR + DVD-R BOX SET (AOW 425)

Gargantuan rework of both Air's score and the soundtrack to Sofia Coppola's beautiful hallucinogenic ode to sadness, memories, and temporality, The Virgin Suicides.  I saw this in the theater in 1999 when it was released and it began my unerring love affair with the work of Sofia Coppola; i am hard-pressed to think of a filmmaker who so perfectly summons up the agonies of adolescence, agonies that don't really leave us but instead become the agonies of our adulthoods as well.  The film describes a pain that never leaves, a testament to the fact that time heals nothing and that every hurt we experience is carried with us forever.  Describing what this film means to me is difficult; it has simply been with me since I first saw it, has been a part of me and my emotional makeup since then.  It is important to me. 
My rework consists of ambient treatments of both Air's commissioned score and the actual soundtrack of the film.  It is at times hollow, achingly gorgeous, despondent, yearning, empty, suffocating, and beautiful.  Large, oceanic swathes of ambient sound to drown yourself in as you contemplate life's endless sadnesses (and they are endless.)  All in all, it's nearly 25 hours of music spread over 27 discs, with a harsh noise "Totality" recording of the film's entire audio track on DVD-R completing the set.
Each of the 27 discs + the DVD-R are packaged in heavy fold-over covers housed in a clear plastic bags, utilizing my favorites images from, and ephemera associated with, the film.  All of the screengrabs were done by me personally, from a blu-ray transfer of the film.  Also includes an informational insert, again printed on heavy cardstock.  The entire set is housed in a wooden box, which is hand-lettered by me (similar to Naughty's "My King" set from a few months ago).  Released in a limited edition of 3 hand-numbered copies.  $275 ppd. in the United States, $291 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

UITGESCHAKELD "THE FOUR STAGES OF ENLIGHTENMENT" 4CDr SET (AOW 419)

Uitgeschakeld returns to AOW with a crushing, deeply meditative collection of four massive 80 minute HNW compositions concerned with Eastern philosophy and tradition.  The pieces here will satisfy anyone familiar with the project's previous releases, as well as anyone looking for truly suffocating wall compositions, but here Uitgeschakeld also delves deeper into the relationship between nihilism and the nothingness of Buddhism, the place where nothing means anything and no longer has to, a place removed from meaning and open to possibility.  Open to beyond, past suffering.
On a personal note, this record has been tremendous help to me during a difficult personal time.  The depth and meditativeness of it, the calm in the midst of a storm...the ideas this record is getting at, the beauty they're hinting at...it's difficult to achieve, at times seeming out of reach.  The pieces here have helped to drain me at times, to forget anxiety and hurt, and to simply focus on what is.  I hope that this record could do that for others.  Casper is one of the few people working in HNW that i think really understands what nihilism means and is, and his work as Uitgeschakeld has simply become the standard by which I will measure all other "nihilistic" projects.
Packaged as four separate albums, each with their own artwork, but united by a design and conceptual aesthetic.  Released in a limited edition of 10 hand-numbered copies.  $35 ppd. in the United States, $51 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

IVAN SANDAKOV "A TIME TO REMEMBER" CDr (AOW 423)

Restless and hyper-creative HNW wizard Ivan Sandokov (of Sleep Column and so many more fine projects) shifts gears and turns in a lengthy suite of absolutely, astonishingly and breath-takingly lovely ambient composititons.  The three pieces here are deep and beautifully constructed meditations on loss and hurt, the pain of memories drifting into oblivion along with the meaning of one's life.  I have found these pieces to be very moving and incredibly emotional; this record gives me goosebumps.  Definitely in the Basinski/Dunn/Drumm vein, with some Tim Hecker and Troum thrown in for good measure.  I do not make those comparisons lightly.  This release is gorgeous; certain to be in my top 10 noise/drone releases for the year.
Packaged in a DVD case, with minimal artwork done by the artist himself.  Released in a limited edition of 10 hand-numbered copies.  $10 ppd. in the United States, $26 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

FLOOD & FLAME "ALL THAT'S GOLDEN IS NEVER REAL" 6CDr (AOW 418)

Flood & Flame is a new collaborative project between Texas HNW iconoclasts Mitchell Rotunno (The Ebony Tower) and Christopher Charles Robinson (Big Hole) focused on the work of synth pop overlords CHVRCHES.  I'm very familiar with the output of both of these gentlemen, as they are friends to me and have both had multiple releases with AOW; the sounds here are utterly transfixing, noise taken to a place of deep melodicism without sacrificing intensity of any sort (musical or emotional.)  It's a thing of rare magick, these six discs, and i'm really at a loss to describe it further.  It's pop music taken to its logical, deconstructionist end, stretched out to infinity and imbued with noise's causticness and inaccessibility.  Pushing you away while at the same time beckoning you closer.  Tension and beauty, explosions and descents into sadness.  Over 8 hours of lovely sounds.  I wish i had made this record, it's just masterful.  If you are a fan of either Mitchell's or Christopher's projects, you need to hear this.
Packaged in a six-DVD case and released in a limited edition of 15 hand-numbered copies.  $30 ppd. in the United States, $46 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

BODY STRESS "FORCED ENTRY" C20 (AOW 421)

Second cassette in the four-cassette series from Body Stress, this time inspired by the classic exploitation film Forced Entry.  The sound here is even more chaotic than on the first cassette, with Body Stress creating a dense tapestry of harsh noise, rough and raw ambient sounds, samples from the film, and all manner of destructive textures.  It's pretty fucking nightmarish!  Scathing feedback worship and absolute junk noise horror.
Released in a limited edition of 20 hand-numbered copies.  $8 ppd. in the United States, $24 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

CORY STRAND "ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE: A REINTERPRETATION (DELUXE AND EXPANDED EDITION)" 20CDr + DVD-R SET (AOW 411)

At long last, the deluxe and expanded edition of my rework of the score for one of my very favorite films, Jim Jarmsuch's ode to existential ennui, Only Lovers Left Alive.  I always intended to do a "deluxe" version of this release but had to wait for the blu-ray to become available.
The expanded edition includes six new ambient compositions created from elements of the score, never before heard or released.  It also includes a "Totality" noise recording of the film's entire audio track on DVD-R.
This released is packaged in my usual "deluxe" style, with each composition given its own disc and packaging, utilizing my favorite images from the film (again, very difficult to choose just 42, as they're all gorgeous.)  All of the screengrabs were done by me personally from a blu-ray version of the film.

"There was no film I was more excited for over the last two years than Jim Jarmusch's vampires-existing-in-tedium masterpiece "Only Lovers Left Alive."  While the film was certainly as brilliant as expected, showcasing all of Jarmusch's strengths as a director, the soundtrack was equally as mind-blowing and gorgeous.  Written and performed by Jamrusch's band SQURL and with help from his frequent collaborator (and amazing artist in his own right), lute revivalist/reinventor Jozef Van Wissem, the soundtrack is a mesmerizing mix of gorgeously aching and yearning melodies and strained feedback tied to hypnotic and insistent standard rock forms.  The result is an epic musical construction that both comments on the themes of the film and exists apart from it.
Sometimes when I do these reworks I end up being astounded at the results, and this is one of those times.  The pieces here are some of the loveliest i've crafted, evoking a wealth of despondent, sorrowful moods and feelings that perfectly complement Jarmusch's study of tedium, banality, disappointment, exhaustion, and sadness.  An epic drone/ambient journey into interiority and wistful nostalgiah, perhaps for something that never really was.  It all seems so different, but it all seems the the same."

The deluxe edition is limited to 3 hand-numbered copies.  $165 ppd. in the United States, $181 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

CORY STRAND "MIDNIGHT SPECIAL: A REINTERPRETATION (DELUXE EDITION)" 20 CDr + DVD-R SET (AOW 410)

Deluxe edition of my rework of David Wingo's score for Jeff Nichols' Midnight Special.  This expanded edition is presented in my usual "deluxe" style, with each composition given its own disc, complete with its own artwork and packaging utilizing my favorite shots from the film (there are many; it was hard to select 42!).  The screengrabs were all done by me personally from a blu-ray of the film.  The set also includes a "Totality" noise rework of the film's audio track on DVD-R.

"My deep ambient rework of David Wingo's ethereal, haunting score for Jeff Nichols' aching science fiction masterpiece Midnight Special.  Filled with stunning visuals, understated performances, and a superbly confident personal vision, Nichols' film resonates with an intensity and hurt that few films can summon up.  It is deeply emotional, a sort of cross between Steven Spielberg's E.T. and Stephen King's Firestarter.
Working with David Wingo scores is always difficult as he tends toward shorter pieces; though brief, they are always moving and elegiac (he is easily one of the best composers working in film at the moment.)  My work here offers up 20 ambient pieces varying in length, from short (4 minutes or so) to longer (45 minutes), depending on what the individual piece dictated to me.  I try to go off my own emotions as much as possible when i do these reworks; the result is a sad and forlorn collection of dense, murky drone."

The deluxe edition is limited to 3 hand-numbered copies.  $165 ppd. in the United States, $181 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

CORY STRAND "SOMETIMES, OFTEN" C46 OUT NOW ON LOST LIGHT RECORDS

I have a new solo cassette out on the fantastic label Lost Light Records.  This is some of my harshest, most extreme material in quite some time, a bit of a throwback to my old "psychedelic wall noise washout" sort of sound.  It's very difficult to listen to, and the two pieces are noise works i'm deeply proud of.  To a certain degree, yes, this tape is about a particularly heart-crushing episode of Daria - but like much of my work recently, it is more about the relationships between people, the hurt and damage we are able to cause one another, and the generally pessimistic view of life this fact engenders in us (me especially.)  Limited to 15 copies, already down to 5 remaining.  If you are interested in this cassette, don't sleep on it.  I am not sure if i will have any copies for sale through AOW (i don't think so.)  Please order from Lost Light and support another fantastic noise label; pick up as many of their other releases as you can, they're all pretty fucking magnificent.
You can stream/purchase "Sometimes, Often" here:

https://lostlightnoise.bandcamp.com/album/sometimes-often

CORY STRAND "DESTROY YOUR LIFE" C30 AVAILABLE NOW ON ENDLESS LANDSCAPES OF DECAY

I have a new solo cassette available on the fantastic label Endless Landscapes Of Decay.  Entitled "Destroy Your Life," this is a deeply personal composition from me, and a piece of music that i am very proud of.  Manipulated drone material, synthesizer ambience, guitars, and samples.   Bleak and sad.  My original 15 minute piece is on the A-side, with an extremely melancholic, gorgeous remix of my material by E.L.D. on the B-side (the remix is astounding; it gives me goosebumps).  I will not have any copies of this available through AOW, so please, if you are interested in my work, stop by E.L.D.'s bandcamp and pick it up.  The tape is limited to 13 copies.  While you are there, you should probably just buy everything else the label has put out, because it's all incredible.  Really one of the best labels out there right now; thanks so much to Ben Hudgins for releasing this.  It means a great deal to me.
Listen/purchase through here:

https://endlesslandscapes.bandcamp.com/album/eld014-destroy-your-life

N0123NOISE/CORY STRAND "SPLIT" C40 (AOW 417)

Haunting, deeply melancholic split between N0123NOISE and myself, a descent into ambient drone sadness and despair.  This is probably one of the most beautiful and sorrowful recordings i've been a part of; the tiredness and resignation and the aura of despair that haunts these two pieces is beyond intense.  N0123NOISE's composition is almost orchestral in its funereality, a ghostly approximation of the banality of existence and the emptiness that remains when everything else has been taken from you.  My piece is an extended synthesizer drone, a hyper-mournful meditation on the mess my life has become over these last several months.
Pure fucking sadness.
Released in a limited edition of 10 hand-numbered copies.  $8 ppd. in the United States, $24 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

BRIEF UPDATE ON THE FUTURE OF THE LABEL, PLUS SOME UPCOMING RELEASES

School has started up for me, and it's my last year, meaning i'll be starting in on my thesis pretty quickly.  Obviously this will take some time away from the label.  The last several months have been exceedingly difficult for me personally - one of the worst times in my life - and i've had to really think about what i can accomplish as one person in relation to Altar Of Waste, as well as in regards to my own music, and not fall any further into despair.  I'm feeling burnt out and depressed pretty much all the time, and I can't be feeling that way heading in to my thesis.
Moving forward, the print runs on releases are going to be a lot smaller.  I have to think about what I can realistically manage without going insane.  I would still love to work with lots and lots of artists, but if you're wanting print runs higher than 10 copies, at this point i am probably not the label for you.  Altar Of Waste has always been a boutique label anyways.  That said, there are a few releases coming up that will have slightly larger runs, as per my original agreements with the artists.  But everything new from here on will be limited.
I have two printers at home, both of which have died.  I am tired of spending $300 every six months on fucking printers and even more on printer ink.  I have found a way to outsource the printing; the prints are higher quality than they have ever been before.  I have also lost my supplier of CDr's; i believe i have found a suitable replacement.  But this means filling orders may take a bit longer, so please bear with me as i figure it all out.
My focus lately has been on cassettes; this will probably continue.  I will still do CD releases, as i have some very large scale projects from myself and some other artists in the works for the fall/winter, but i've become sort of enamoured with the cassette as an art object and have been going sort of crazy with them.  I expect it will continue for awhile.
The next releases will be (no precise dates, just working on them now):

Kosmodrom "Conquest Of Space" C30 (amazing new kosmiche noise project born from the ashes of Dead Body Collection)
Body Stress "Forced Entry" C20 (second in a series of four cassettes)
Eugene Critchley "Pessimism Totale" 2xC60 (severely bleak DNW)
Dejection/Naughty split/collaborative cassette
Dejection/Shadowpiercer split/collaborative 2xC40
N0123NOISE/Cory Strand split C40
Curses "Thousand Faced Moon" C47

This fall/winter will also see releases from Dejected Splendor, Big Hole, Dosis Letalis, Natural Actors, Uitgeschakeld, and tons more...
I appreciate the continued support and friendship.  It means so much to me, more than you can know.

-Cory S.

EUGENE CRITCHLEY "I AM SO FILLED WITH LOVE IT IS STILL TOO MUCH TO BEAR" C30 (AOW 414)

Sophomore release of bleak and hollowed out DNW from Eugene Critchley.  The two pieces on this cassette are super dense, extremely bass-heavy excursions into existential terror and loneliness, the nothingness and hopelessness of being illustrated in the black hole gravity of the tracks.  Total despondency.
Playback through headphones (at high volume) highly recommended, or through a stereo system capable of excellent bass response.
Released in a limited edition of 10 hand-numbered copies.  $8 ppd. in the United States, $26 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

CORY STRAND "UNCERTAINTY" C20 (AOW 413)

Two new somber pieces of ANW/DNW.  This cassette serves as an addendum of sorts to my "A Serious Man: A Reinterpretation" set; it's one of my very favorite films and i return to it over and over, academically and creatively.  The two pieces are are dense and far-away sounding, gloomy drift from the outer reaches of walldom.  Massive and ghostly.
Released in a limited edition of 5 hand-numbered copies.  $8 ppd. in the United States, $26 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

THE CLIMATE REFUGEES "THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING" C30 (AOW 392)

Very honored to be releasing the debut cassette from this HNW group, comprised of Peter Keller (Condo Horro), Ben Rehling (See Through Buildings) and Nemanja Nikolic' (Dosis Letalis).  If these three names are familiar to you (and they should be) then you know what to expect: totally assaulting, blazing, hyper-destructive HNW of the very highest order.  Loud doesn't even begin to convey the mass of this tape.  The two tracks here are crushingly dense but also severe and crackling, a truly punishing and transcendent sonic experience.  Each of the three members brings their own sound to the mix; collectively it becomes something utterly brutal, a morass of seething destruction.  Environmental degradation and disregard of the planet rendered into audio horror.
This is just the beginning...
Released in a limited edition of 30 copies, with stunning artwork from Peter Keller.  $10 ppd. in the United States, $26 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

CORY STRAND "THE THING: A REINTERPRETATION" C90 (AOW 412)

My half of my split with Crown of Bone from 2014, now on cassette.

From the original write up:
My album is a full on rework of Ennio Morricone's score for the film. My approach on this was similar to the other film-themed splits Dustin and I have done, wherein I allow many of the original OST elements to surface amongst the static and noise. This is a big trippy set of psychedelic noise washout!

This is a sound i don't really return to much anymore.  That said, there are some massive walls on here, most notably the album closer "Despair."
Released in a limited edition of 5 hand-numbered copies.  $10 ppd. in the United States, $26 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

CORY STRAND "MIDNIGHT SPECIAL: A REINTERPRETATION" 5CDR (REGULAR EDITION) (AOW 409)

My deep ambient rework of David Wingo's ethereal, haunting score for Jeff Nichols' aching science fiction masterpiece Midnight Special.  Filled with stunning visuals, understated performances, and a superbly confident personal vision, Nichols' film resonates with an intensity and hurt that few films can summon up.  It is deeply emotional, a sort of cross between Steven Spielberg's E.T. and Stephen King's Firestarter.
Working with David Wingo scores is always difficult as he tends toward shorter pieces; though brief, they are always moving and elegiac (he is easily one of the best composers working in film at the moment.)  My work here offers up 20 ambient pieces varying in length, from short (4 minutes or so) to longer (45 minutes), depending on what the individual piece dictated to me.  I try to go off my own emotions as much as possible when i do these reworks; the result is a sad and forlorn collection of dense, murky drone.
Packaged in a DVD case in a limited edition of 5 hand-numbered copies.  $30 ppd. in the United States, $46 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

CORY STRAND "SWISS ARMY MAN: A REINTERPRETATION" 15CDR (AOW 408)

A new, beautiful, large scale reinterpretive solo work for Andy Hull and Robert McDowell's absolutely heartbreaking score for the Daniels' equally heartbreaking film, Swiss Army Man.  If you have followed AOW for awhile, or if you know me in real existence, you've most likely gotten the idea that film is very important to me and is a major part of all aspects of my life: professional, personal, emotional, academic.  It permeates every moment of my being, and is a large part of how i try and understand the world, the universe, and my own place in it (if i have any sort of place.)  Swiss Army Man is probably the closest i have seen a film come to portraying the way I feel.  I don't want to say much more than that, as watching this film was a very painful and deeply emotional experience for me, and thinking through some of the issues it's raised for me is still difficult.  But it was beautiful, and it touched something in me the way few films have...extremely raw, extremely fragile.  I was in tears through the last 30 minutes.
The score works in tandem with those emotions.  Composed primarily for human voice, it is an absolutely haunting and elegiac work, suffused with joy, longing, hurt, sorrow, love, desire, yearning, confusion, hopelessness, hopefulness...in working with the pieces i've tried to bring out the emotional aspects of the tracks and marry them to my own personal emotional difficulties as of late.  The result is one of my most personal works, and also one of the most beautiful (if not THE most beautiful) suites of compositions I've ever created.  The power of it haunts me...
Packaged in three quintuple DVD cases, each with their own unique artwork.  Released in a limited edition of 5 hand-numbered copies.  $135 ppd. in the United States, $151 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

DEJECTION "MISERY" C40 (AOW 333)

Now on cassette.

Material based on one of my favorite novels, Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights.  As might be expected, the four pieces here are all extremely despondent, yearning, anxiety-ridden, and hopelessly depressing.  Lots of different directions here, yet they all intertwine seamlessly to create a bleak portrait of gloom and despair.  One forlorn synthesizer improvisation, two slabs of empty, haunting ANW, and a lengthy minimalist guitar piece to close things out.  This album is one of my favorite things I've ever recorded.

Released in a limited edition of 5 hand-numbered copies.  $10 ppd. in the United States, $26 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

CORY STRAND "I GUESS YOU'D CALL IT SUICIDE" C90 (AOW 340)

Massive cassette of despondent and suicidal drone ambience, despairingly sad and dense with sorrow.  I recorded this cassette a number of months ago and was astonished at how aching and empty it was...at times it is difficult for me to listen to, and with the personal issues i've been experiencing of late revisiting it has been somewhat painful and terrifying.  But it is beautiful, and maybe it will provide comfort to some others who are hurting as well.
Four towering drone compositions alongside a slowcore/Tim Hecker style cover of the Police's "Every Breath You Take."  Music to slice your wrists open to.  Listen to with headphones, alone in the dark, at high volume.
Released in a limited edition of 10 hand-numbered copies.  $10 ppd. in the United States, $26 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

LINDSKOLD "DREAMS OF FLAME" C20 (AOW 398)

New release from my Summoning-worship BM/noise project Lindskold.  "Dreams Of Flame" is comprised of the two bonus tracks i recorded for the yet-to-be released remastered versions of "The Aura Of Collapse" and "The Majesty Of The Lidless Eye," both due out at some future point on Occult Supremacy Productions.  The two tracks are both very much in Summoning vein, with melodic guitar lines and a wealth of synthesizers.
For this cassette release I have also created a short intro and outro piece, both of which have never been heard/released.
This is a really great little tape.  Fans of the project will not be disappointed; also, those familiar with the project know it's difficult for me to record this stuff, so this could be the last Lindskold release for awhile (although I am working on  a cassette release of "The Aura Of Collapse".)
Released in a limited edition of 10 hand-numbered copies.  $8 ppd. in the United States, $24 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

DEJECTION "NO ONE, NOTHING" C60 (AOW 389)

Another new cassette in Dejection's ongoing Game Of Thrones series.  "No One, Nothing" works of off Arya Stark's training under the doctrines of the Many-Faced God, as well as her revenge against Meryn Trant (possibly one of the most brutally violent scenes of murder in television-absolutely amazing.)
This cassette features a crushing HNW/synth composition on the A-side and a very murked out, dense and grey slab of ANW on the B-side.  One of my heaviest recordings, for sure.
Released in a limited edition of 10 hand-numbered copies.  $10 ppd. in the United States, $26 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

BODY STRESS "WATERPOWER" C20 (AOW 391)

Very pleased to unleash the first in a series of four cassettes from Body Stress, all based on classic exploitation films from the 1970s/80s.  "Waterpower" works off of the classic film starring Jamie Gillis, based on the infamous real life case of Michael Kenyon, the "Illinois Enema Bandit." 
The three tracks here are some extremely loud, caustic, and psychedelic harsh noise, also utilizing samples and sounds from the film.  Really masterfully composed, a beautiful and intense assault of sound.
The remaining three cassettes will be released throughout the year.
Released in a limited edition of 20 hand-numbered copies.  $8 ppd. in the United States, $24 rest or world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

DEJECTION "RETURN TO NEW YORK" 3xC20 SET (AOW 366/367/368)

Part of Dejection's ongoing "TMNT" series of recordings; these tapes are intended to serve as soundtracks to specific issues of the comic series, or as musical evocations of certain situations and atmospheres present in the comics.
This three cassette set serves as the soundtrack to my favorite TMNT story arc, the extremely dark and violent "Return To New York."  For this set i have attempted to score the arc in a very cinematic way; the A-side of each tape features a minimalist and dense ANW compsoition, while the B-side of each features a minimal synth track.  This set is one of the finest pieces of music i have ever made; the synth pieces in particular recall the work of John Carpenter and Hans Zimmer: patient, tense, beautiful, emotional.  I am very proud of these three tapes.
Released in a limited edition of 10 hand-numbered copies.  $25 ppd. in the United States, $41 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

DEJECTION "ROOFTOPS AT NIGHT" C40 (AOW 383)

Part of Dejection's ongoing "TMNT" series of recordings; these tapes are intended to serve as soundtracks to specific issues of the comic series, or as musical evocations of certain situations and atmospheres present in the comics.
"Rooftops At Night" features two dense pieces of super murky, droning ANW on the A-side and a lengthy 20 minute murk drone on the B-side.  Very mesmerizing.
Released in a limited edition of 10 hand-numbered copies.  $10 ppd. in the United States, $24 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com

DEJECTION "ERADICATION" C20 (AOW 373)

Part of Dejection's ongoing "TMNT" series of recordings; these tapes are intended to serve as soundtracks to specific issues of the comic series, or as musical evocations of certain situations and atmospheres present in the comics.
"Eradication" is two slabs of experimental ANW; there are certainly some deep and crackling textures and tones present here, but also an undercurrent of true ambience and deeply buried melodies.  Haunting and unsettling pieces.
Released in a limited edition of 10 hand-numbered copies.  $8 ppd. in the United States, $24 rest of world.

ORDER HERE: www.altarofwasterecords.storenvy.com