Eaten By Children - The Sword Swallower's Grave

The more Vigilant readers out there may recognise this name from an earlier Interview on Heathen Harvest. Eaten By Children is the solo project of a very Creative and Deranged mind - the work on here is Minimal and samples everything from London Tube hisses to Guitars, to Dark Ambience. "The Sword Swallower's Grave" was released in just 200 copies, it originally caught my eye with its wonderful title.

"Creative Hiss" seems to fit the foot best, and each track is nearly a different Artist. Track 1 for example is a pleasing, and very slow Ambient number, almost a Requiem in tempo.

Track 2 is another Ambient piece, that verges off into the domain of Minimalism, a nice number, but nothing really happens. Nothing "needs" to happen though. It builds up tremendously halfway through, and evolves into almost Ear splitting Electronic, almost like Sunn0))) losing power at a concert.

Time for the first non-static change. Track 3, which starts off with the sounds of Glass smashing, and being shaken about, and picked up, by what sounds like someone with way too many Keys in their pockets. The track is a lesson in Experimental sounds, as it's really devoid of music, and just relies on samples to echo its point across. The first real indication of what Rob Hart can offer that no one else does.

Track 4 is interesting too, it's very Raw in its sound, and has a Guitar being frantically thrashed, for a minute. Possibly the Interlude of the album, but this is as unconventional as can be, quite like that Chinese White Power band I heard.

Noise lovers will rejoice at Track 5, if not be a little bit scared, as it starts off as a huge Wall of Noise, goes into Minimal mode, then becomes frantic Electro, like Kraftwerk playing inside a Steel Drum.

Other moments of this bizarre release are the brief and unexpected nod to Steve Albini's "Big Black", as one track sounds like Kerosene played on Acid, the sudden bursts of Noise that attack out of nowhere, and the Masonna-esque textures on track 7.

Have you ever wanted an album that is Noise, Minimalism, Dark Ambient, Industrial Guitar, and Experimental all at once? This is it! Wonder how it tastes? Better ask the kids. Dec 01 2006