E.S.A. - Themes Of Carnal Empowerment Pt. I : Lust

"there's nothing darker, than love that's gone sour" is what Therapy? used to sing in their seminal 1995 concept album 'Infernal Love'. One of those albums I literally grew up with, and which I still listen to at least once per week this day: the theme of the obsession for love and its inevitable demise is one I really resonate to.

And it would seem it's a theme dear also to Jamie Blacker, the man behind Electronic Substance Abuse, or E.S.A. as we mostly have come to know him. First part of a 2CD release, the aural patterns this album weaves depict a vision of love and lust that defining grim would not give it enough justice, and titles like "The Plot Sickens" or "With This Cold Kiss I Will Wound" only confirm the first impressions.

Musically, the listener is in for a relentless and reckless ride on the roller coaster, since from the moment you press play to the time you reach the outdo, aptly titled, once again, "Loss", E.S.A. doesn't take the foot off the accelerator. It's like Blacker went back and diligently studied all the lessons of the great pioneers of the rhythmic noise genre such as Synapscape and Imminent Starvation, added to the alchemic mixture some more obscure yet even darker influences from Cold Meat Industry, and stir it all up not forgetting to put in some of the more modern sounds as well (did I hear some wobbles here and there?), before serving his dark love potion to his audience.

And audience that's more than willing to get intoxicated on it, as I was able to experience directly during E.S.A.'s killer performance at the last Resistanz Festival in Sheffield, UK, last March.

If there's only one thing I have to suggest, or rather, something that I'd be happy to experience in the upcoming Pt. II, is a wider use of the melodic moments we can listen in songs such as "Loss" and the title track itself. While I'm well aware that the mere mention of melody is an anathema to every self-respecting noise lover, I still think it would be a great addiction to an already winning package. Jun 08 2012