Review: Agoraphobic Nosebleed

ago
Agoraphobic Nosebleed
“Altered States of America”
(Relapse Records)

Agoraphobic Nosebleed are sonic terrorists.  They use their music as assaults on the witting, and on this album they go all out for it with 100 songs on a wee three-inch mini-disc.  Tracks are numbered 00 to 99.  The music comes spurts; quick bombardments of audio blasts ala early Napalm Death or Naked City but with programmed element and loads of samples adding to the swirling degenerative chaos.  It’s far easier to view the album as one long song composed of many passages rather than as 100 separate entities each possible to be enjoyed on their own.  Taking the album in as a whole feast, a many course meal is the only way to come to grips with this vile monstrosity of an album.  I can’t imagine anyone listening to this sort of thing for pleasure.  Listening to Agoraphobic Nosebleed is more like conducting a terrifying science project than an enjoyable interaction with art.

The album says it’s “100 Hits of Pure Acid” and that’s not too far off the mark.  They double dipped each CD.  Trust me; give it a lick.  If 100 songs sounds like too much to endure than I’d like assuage your fears by saying the CD’s already done.  I threw the disc on, toasted a bagel, ate a bagel, sat down to write the review and before I was done, silence.  It’s short, but intense.  Take a dose.