The background to No Names can be summed up in a couple of sentences it seems. The outfit is an Australian industrial metal band consisting of the duo of Stephen and Michael who have been musically involved for well over twenty years. In their own words, “Two old men play Machine Man Records. Not trying to reinvent the wheel; we make music that pays homage to our favourite bands: Nailbomb, Godflesh, Ministry, Big Black, The Mark Of Cain, Pitch Shifter etc.”
What needs more space to expose is the striking prowess of their sound and a new EP which infested ears and burrowed under the skin in no time. Those references mentioned in their statement do pretty much reveal the character of the pair’s sound but not its own individuality and unique discontent with the world. Their creation is a nagging, burrowing incursion which makes ferocious demands on the senses, body, and attention across the incitement of I Surrender To The Void As Of Now I Am The Void. It is also as virulently infectious as it is mercilessly ravenous, a proposal fuelled by an antipathy and contention which echoes the dispute we might have with the world today.
The Thread opens up the release and immediately had ears eagerly enticed as a tide of riffs sweep in behind rhythmic agitation. There is a dance to the beats which simply sparked our appetite and a nagging prowess to the following sounds which accentuated that swiftly formed hunger. Like the sounds around them, vocals snap at and hound the listener, their discontent echoed in every holler just as the music’s grievance soaks every note and rhythmic incursion. Even with its ravening intent there is a haunting aspect to the track which really rises up in its melodic contemplations which equally only escalate the song’s magnetism.
The following Tedium instantly reveals a more ravenous intent, its Ministry-esque surging a relentless provocation and contagion which soon swells with darker washes and shadows. Again rhythms are a pressure of browbeating manipulation easily and greedily devoured whilst the melodic enterprise which lingers and blossoms within the tumult is a haunting seduction of intimation which ensures even with the familiarity of its inspirations, the song is an unpredictable joy.
From its distorted suggestive beginnings and religious toned summoning, Fake Faith rises up in a sonic dust storm of sound and tempestuous intent. Belligerence and discontent soaks every note and breath, its rhythmic trespass bone piercing as sonically it abused and inflamed the senses. With all aspects united it makes for a debilitating infestation which we simply could not get enough of and confirmed No Names as a band we had to share.
Again the rhythmic heart of the band left us dominated and compelled to face the weighty impact of Manufacturing Desires, its lead into and continuing shaping of the track pure creative abuse and temptation around which guitars and keys brewed similarly corrosive pleasure as vocals voiced their grudge. With its turbulence and enterprise becoming more unhinged by the moment without ever relenting in its nagging persecution, the song provided another major highlight of the release.
I Surrender To The Void As Of Now I Am The Void is completed by a quartet of re-mixes, The Thread undergoing the No Names Curse Of Youth Dub Mix amongst three alternative versions of Fake Faith. It is fair to say that each brings a whole new identity and suggestion to the songs, every track exploring certain elements and conjuring new intimation loaded adventures within the original landscapes with the sinister raven’s re-fake version of Fake Faith a particular imagination provoking moment though the Decent News remix and Stalk Market Death Industrial Demix of the same track equally ignited fresh thought and enjoyment.
There is little we can reveal about No Names as we say but their music tells all in a release which may have its heart in open influences but provides the richest fresh incitement.
I Surrender To The Void As Of Now I Am The Void is out now via Machine Man Records; available @ https://nonamesau.bandcamp.com/album/i-surrender-to-the-void-as-of-now-i-am-the-void
https://www.facebook.com/NoNamesAU/ https://www.instagram.com/nonamesau/
Pete RingMaster 14/09/2020
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