Hospital: International Misanthropy Summer Batch '23

[sarinDK]

Half Mortal – Creature of Christ (HOS-843)
Rhythm focused power electronics with a goregrind/death metal touch. Not as corny as one might think. The 2021 tape “Faith in hell” was a strong introduction to this style, however this release nails it to perfection. 17 different short tracks that maintain a coherent and brutal flow. A different approach to the death and industrial amalgamation. Production could be a bit more raw, especially the rhythmic snippets almost sound too clean for the aesthetic. 17 contemporary death metal release recommendations in the accompanying ‘interview’ put me on a listening spree of a genre I hadn’t paid attention to in ages so that’s another plus.


Cleanse – Spanish Veil (HOS-844)
Hive Mind side project. Claustrophobic sound that grabs you and stays for a long time. The heavy bass on most tracks provides a scaffold for the layers of higher pitched cacophony. ‘Concussed’ is the definite highlight, albeit very short. The closing track ‘Impersonator’ stands out for its meticulous structure, almost traditional song-writing. Some of the other tracks urge to be longer; have their ideas fleshed out. Diverse vocal performance, mixed in with the sound accordingly. Reminiscence in Anenzephalia. Not reinventing the wheel, but a powerful effort of noisy industrial obsession.


Chaos 31 – You do Nothing (HOS-842)
The weakest of the bunch. Some of the interesting soundscapes quickly lose their immersive traits by overstaying their welcome. Maybe the sheltered German in me just doesn’t get the Californian melancholy. I shall revisit the tape in a different mood. A splendid production effort notwithstanding the excessive reverb this surely can still appeal to the dark ambient fanatics.


Dust Belt – Stockyard Gales (HOS-841)
A hideous garment of twitching noises, metal, tape loops and soundbites. Not harsh but hardly relaxing. There is a lot going on here and it is a feast. Uncanny noises that evoke familiar spaces but one can just not quite put a name on it. Tip of the tongue electronics. Fulfilling to the curious listener. The thirty minutes of material do pass very quickly. Fans of Altar of Flies will enjoy this very much. Must seek out more of this project. Guess it is time to dig into the monstrous eight tape set “ecocannibalism”…



The series continues with solid material from a variety of genres. The clamshell cases are sturdy and gorgeous. All tapes seem to still be available at hospital. Highest recommendations for the Dust Belt and Half Mortal tapes.