Bleakscape Records are known in the music underground for their extreme boundary pushing productions. Their reputation for going where other labels fear to tread is now highlighted on an eleven track compilation CD, 'Poison Gas In The Living Room' featuring a mix of past, present and future releases.

As the title suggests, and the cover art concurs, with its simplistic yet sadistically graphic illustration, the compilation is an exploration into the darker aspects of the human psyche, with many of the tracks touching on themes of extreme sadism and violence.

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It is always difficult with compilations, stuff you love and stuff you are less keen on. On 'Poison Gas In The Living Room' there are two standout tracks for me. The first is the opener, one of the most terrifyingly brilliant tracks I have heard in a long while, Franklin Bollvolt The First's 'Melrose Ave', the latest project from Martin Daniels (Derelict Sermon) echoing footsteps, blackened extreme noise, deep terrifying vocals courtesy of Jason L (ex. Antichrist, co-conspirator on this project).

The other is Derelict Sermon – 'Theme To Black Communion' which is blackened, evil and terrifying, a track not available on any of the previous Derelict Sermon albums and is as the title suggests the theme to a short film called 'Black Communion'.

The album also contains tracks by Mahler Haze- 'The Curtains Are Twitching', ambient, instrumental, Krautrock from Belgium. An interesting track but a touch long due to the absence of lyrical content. There are two tracks by The Terror Couple, 'As I Seep Out (Black Wolves In My Mind)' and 'Poison Gas World', dark drone with spoken vocals from Leonica Flynn.

There are also two tracks from The Dirty Butchers, 'Those Friends Of Ours', starting with a Latino feel but then the pace begins to build and the horror begins and 'These Friends Of Ours', terror filled but at forty five seconds long, blink and you will miss it.

Also tracks from Imprint – 'Feedback', ambient, melodic, murky Goth with vocals from Sin D' Rella, Bad Blood – 'Nightlands', interesting, in an ear-splitting way.

Survivalist – 'Regina Filomina Rachid' and Bagman – 'Pennance'.

Melrose Ave, The Dirty Butchers, Bad Blood and Mahler Haze will be releasing on Bleakscape in 2013.

'Poison Gas In The Living Room' compilation is out now from Bleakscape Records.

★★★★★ (for Derelict Sermon and Melrose Ave)

★★★☆☆ (for the rest)


21.9.12