UNTITLED

Of all the great industrial bands of the genre's '70's and '80's heyday, Zoviet France were one of the the strangest. For one, they made unique covers for their LPs, here a burlap sack - though most often referred to as hessian material by fans. They didn't bother with an official title, so call it "Untitled", "Hessian", "Burlap", "Zoviet France", "Soviet France"... and, yes, they spelled it correctly this outing. And their music, at least on their now legendary debut, was not just as pitch dark and eerie as the other industrialists, it here switches between Throbbing Gristle style freeform soundscapes and a particularly tribal and brutal rhythm set. Those other industrial bands with rhythm were more standard and even already at times danceable. Only someone who's insane dances to this. This album is like listening to "Aumgn" and "Peking O" on repeat, with the tracks getting darker, weirder, more mechanical, and more tribal as they keep replaying, and eventually plumbing dark depths of irrational oblivion even Damo Suzuki himself was afraid of exploring. And, in the end, it is all perfect. Alongside "The Second Annual Report" this is a highpoint of the truly irredeemably lightless and sinister core of industrial, and as such is one of the genre's classics. If "Tago Mago" and "Klopfzeichen" are really your bag, then this, not even the works of TG, should be your very next stop.