Merzbow & Total - Merzbow Mixed Total

Sterilized Decay, 1997

I only really enjoy a Merzbow solo record on occasion, there's just too much to digest and too much patchy filler. Kind of part of the sound, I know, but not really worth my time. But when Merzbow's collaborations are with artists I love (i.e. sunnO)))'s O)))Bow tracks on Flight Of The Behemoth), I appreciate his touch vastly more. Merzbow usually adds a tasteful level of chaos and overdrive in his remix work. This album is largely exactly what you'd expect from the collaboration. This is Total between dirge-rock era and free-improv middle era, cut up into non-euclidean chunks with Merzbow's noise grinder. Ends up leaning more towards the dark drone side. Great obscure work.

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