To say that Venowl is extreme music is an understatement. These three tracks are the most extreme stuff I’ve ever heard! They’re definitely not for everyone. But, for those few messed up noise/metal junkies who are looking for a new fix, this is it. This is like the true to life soundtrack of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre house of horrors. It is all improvised and as raw as a fresh cut steak. Combining elements of noise, black metal, and funeral doom, Venowl is as slippery as an eel when it comes to categorization. They put their sick brains together and come up with this chaotic cesspool of amplified filth. It’s mostly got low and dirgy guitar work that drags you through the mud. The slow tempo keeps the pace to ensure that you reach your final dreadful and disgusting destination. And the vocals—oh God, the vocals—they’re something else. They can go anywhere from anguished high shrieks that sound like someone’s got a bag over their head to a deep rumbling that rattles like rocks caught in a tailpipe to bloodcurdling feminine screeches that scream bloody murder. This is sonic butchery that is a disturbing and discomforting listen. It’s like they’re a collective of souls being dragged to hell and flailing wildly to snatch up and pull as many of us as possible in tow behind them.
It’s not necessarily a shame that these oversized, hand-cut, DVD-style chipboard case with dark papyrus strip on front cover, glossy 4×6″ art print on inside, hand-carved VENOWL rune-matrix logo stamp on front cover, and track titles hand-stamped letter by letter on back cover are limited to an edition of twenty-two. I can’t imagine that there’d be more than that who’d want to pick this up. But, even though this is only for a select few who can stomach it, what Venowl does here is very excellent. I hang a few sashes on their blood-soaked torsos to award them three titles: 1) Most Extreme Music; 2) Most Creative and Original; 3) Most Likely to Influence Future Artists. The underground metal scene may never be the same after these guys have opened Pandora’s Box and let every last demon and its grandma out to play. Who knows what musical mutilations might come next. What will become of music altogether? Venowl doesn’t care. Something tells me that there’s no stopping their savagery and perversion. Lord, help us! I know the $15.00 price tag may seem steep but the total package is all done by the band and looks great. You also get almost an hour of music with these three tracks. I even got an email from them when it shipped to me pleading to excuse the blood that might have gotten on the envelope. These guys are insane.
