Sunday, July 31, 2016

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

Friday, July 22, 2016

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

DEJECTION "VENGEANCE AND HONOR" C20 (AOW 372)

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.
"Vengeance and Honor" is based on the inaugural issue of TMNT, where the Turtles face their mortal enemy Oroku Saki (the Shredder.)  The two pieces are are some dense and minimalist, heavy ANW.  Murky and thick.
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 "TORMENT" C60 (AOW 313)

Now on cassette.

This Dejection recording is part of an ongoing series of releases from the project based on HBO's Game Of Thrones (three more tapes in this series will soon be released by Mitchell Rotunno's Knife With A Smile label.)  This particular album works off of Joffrey's torment of Sansa throughout season two of the series, and showcases Dejection's synthesizer compositions.  The four pieces here are all deep, John Carpenter-inspired excursions into bass tones, cinematic atmospheres, and sorrowful explorations of degradation.
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