Merzbear, 2007

Another one of the Merz-Series on Important Rec.

1		Part.1 (8:20)
2		Part.2 (9:54)
3		Part.3 (15:17)
4		Part.4 (16:04)

I don't know about you guys out in the virtual world out there, but I'm pretty chuffed to see Mr. Merzbow (otherwise known as Japanoise genius Masami Akita) dumping the chugging laptop noise rubbish and going back to what I really like - guitars and analogue synths. 'Merzbear' is the sixth album in Akita's Merz series for Important records and is the most 'analogue' yet, with most of the sounds coming from killer vintage analogue synth the EMS Synthi and his homemade 'junk' guitar. I'm not entirely sure what a junk guitar is but listening to the tracks on here it's made pretty clear the sort of noises that come out of it - screeching deadly tones and rumbles that cut through the record like a knife through butter. This is Merzbow how I love to hear him, taking a chunk of Nurse With Wound and Throbbing Gristle and fusing it with a love of early electronics and psychedelic rock - the resulting audio slop is not as frenetic or as unlistenable as you might think either. It's hard to explain, it's still noise but this ain't Akita in full-on white noise mode, this is something far more interesting than that, and while it isn't as traditionally 'noisy', it has an intensity which is almost impossible to match. With 'Merzbear' we have Akita turning to the young upstarts of the noise scene and showing that he can take them all on at once, man to man - they might be putting the punk rock back into it, but damn, Akita was there 25 years ago and he's still got it. Whether it's shards of broken electric guitar or giant oscillating synthesizer drones, each sound is terrifying and visceral - you want something that's gonna make you sit up and take notice, look no further. Without a doubt my favourite so far in the Merz series and probably Akita's finest work for a while now, you need this album.
- Boomkat Presstext

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Switching Rethorics (Split with Shora), 2002

Split between Merzbow and the Swiss band Shora.

1	Merzbow	T 2000
2	Shora	Erode / Implode
3	Shora	Discussing Watercolor Techniques
4	Merzbow	Black Cat
5	Shora	Conciliated Coercion
6	Merzbow	Vanlla Groon
7	Shora	To Further Confines

While Merzbow was probably the name that brought this split CD release to your attention, you're unlikely to forget Shora any time soon! There's enough of an eccentric dynamic between the two bands to satisfy your taste for variety, but more importantly, Switching Rethorics packs one hell of a solid punch.
- Read the rest of the review over at splendid mag

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Amlux, 2002

1		Takemitsu (5:26)
2		Looping Jane (15:41)
3		Cow Cow (4:22)
4		Luxurious Automobile (Krokodile Texas Mix) (22:23)

Masami Akita continues to have a way of creating noise that cannot be ignored, whether it's harsh or quietly menacing. A lot of noise work risks either fading into the background or being unlistenably repetitive and one-dimensional. While like anyone who releases so much, not every Merzbow release is essential, the sounds here demand attention, due to both their constant change and careful composition. The myriad of ways in which Akita destroys, demolishes, and alters these sounds makes it clear that his many years of dedication to experimental audio work has taught him a lot of worthy lessons. We can all be glad of our continued opportunities to enjoy the results. This is another superb addition to the Merzbow catalog.
- Read the rest of the review over at dusted

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24 Hours - A Day Of Seals, 2002

Merzzow, 2002

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1		Elephant Song (7:49)
2		Horiwari (3:38)
3		Inside Looking Out Pt.1 (9:15)
4		Inside Looking Out Pt.2 (8:37)
5		Koshinzuka (2:09)
6		Music Machine (9:58)
7		Horse (4:47)
8		Penderecki (4:50)
9		Green (9:16)
10		Hummingbird (6:52)
11		Aenokoto 223 (3:15)

MERZZOW combines animal concepts and deconstructions of 20th century music, ambient drones and a deep grinding groove, synth tones and harsh bursts of liquid electricity in a varied and dynamic 11 tacks in 70 minutes that is sure to please all you fans. It is even accessible enough that it makes a perfect introduction for your friends who have never heard Merzbow music before. (For those of you that don't know, 'zou' is the japanese word for 'elephant'. So, I think you can pronounce this album's title as 'mertz-zoh'.)
- Opposite Records Presstext

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Merzbeat, 2002

After the harsh start an experimental Merzbow release, it has a beat which is quite unusual for him but nowhere near mainstream. It's also the first time that Minazo appeared on the artwork (but it's not part of the Minazo tribute series):

1		Promotion Man (8:58)
2		Forgotten Land (13:20)
3		Shadow Barbarian (Long Mix) (11:49)
4		Tadpole (5:51)
5		Looping Jane (Beat Mix) (8:26)
6-64		Untitled (0:04)
65		Untitled (0:06)
66		Amlux (Remixed By Jack Dangers) (2nd Version) (8:17)

Part of the Merz series that has seen the inclusion of real beats rather than sampled jazz loops. A real drift from what you might expect from a Merzbow album and one that has divided fans, mainly those who don't like the purely digital side he has recently explored. This is genuinely one of his best releases and is worth it alone for the track Tadpole, more ambient than any track he's done recently and similar in style to the Kid606 album PS I Love You, though the Kid never comes close!
- discogs Userreview (by blowfish)
- Stylus Magazine Review
- Brainwashed Review

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