Abhorrent Expanse - 2025 - Enter the Misanthropocene

(46:57; Amalgam)






















Either there appears to be more music being released which is challenging, or I have been fortunate enough to get involved with labels and PR companies who support it, but I definitely hear more music these days in this uncompromising manner than I used to. Here we have the second album from Brian Courage (upright and electric basses, prepared electric bass, electric piano), Erik Fratzke (guitars, electric bass, prepared electric piano, synth), Tim Glenn (drums, cymbals, percussion, door, chimes, bowed metals), and Luke Polipnick (vocals, guitars, prepared electric bass, bowed metals), which was improvised and recorded on April 10th 2022 (note, why has it taken five years to come out?). After that work was completed, they then approached additional musicians to provide additional elements with Jesse Whitney, (electronics, waterphone),  Nathan Hanson (clarinets) and Craig Taborn (Oberheim synth, glass harmonica) contributing on one track each.

Musically this is all over the place, much more than I would normally expect from a band working deep in the avant garde as they have no true single point of reference, but instead move from death metal to ambient and a large use of space as an instrument without a care in the world, and there are times when it feels like there is actually more than one band involved and this is a compilation release as opposed to an album just by one. I am more than a little surprised to see this is an independent release as I can imagine the likes of Cuneiform or Iapetus happily snapping this up as it would easily fit within the catalogue of either. There is a dark beauty within this, which may not be perceived by everyone as there will be many who will not understand what is going on and feel no need to investigate any further, but for those who wish to explore the farthest reaches of what is possible within music will find riches abound within. Terrible yet beautiful, this is a really enjoyable (at least to me) release.  

Kev Rowland, October 2025

Links:
https://abhorrentexpanse.bandcamp.com/
https://www.amalgamusic.org/

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