Etai Keshiki/ Castrato Attack Group - Split (CD)

Oh yeah! Local screamy noise upstarts Etai Keshiki are back after their now-sold-out-everywhere debut tape with another one, this time a split with Castrato Attack Group, which is the noise-rock sideline of Phil “Ashtray Navigations” Todd, along with a Lantern and a Cissy and a Kieron.

The artwork hints towards CAG being on the first side but as soon as I press play this is clearly Etai Keshiki I’m listening to. On their side they’re belting out seven of their trademark screech’n’mangle noise punk assaults like the bastard child of Arab On Radar, Gay Beast, Divorce and Swing Kids, with most of the songs clocking in under two minutes making it very hard to follow which one I’m even listening to until I reach the notable exception of eight-minute hypno-splatter closer ‘Mondo Frowno’, following on from the dynamic ‘Vrai Ou Faux’ which provides one of the tape’s most memorable moments with a sinister metal riff that gives way to a brief lull (the only one on the whole side really) before they break into sheets of thrashy noise. There’s not a dull moment on the whole side.

Turn it over and Castrato Attack Group just have a single jam which runs to almost 19 minutes and it’s a total Hawkwind freakout with hard grooving drums, booming bass and layers of irrepressible squall from the guitars and electronics which twist and turn and form a screaming, cacophonous psychedelic swirl around the rock solid rhythm section groove. At one point they descend into clattering free noise only to emerge with another riff even more triumphant, with shimmering guitar lifting it up into celestial heights amidst manic robotic scree. It’s total indulgent stoner rock fare but done with bombastic abandon and free-expressive flair that’s hard to resist. Fans of Gnod, White Hills, Causa Sui and the likes will be drooling over it no doubt. Absolutely thunderous contributions from both bands here. Two robot thumbs up.