After delivering some of the finest 140 material for more than half a decade and becoming a bastion for UK dubstep and beyond, Infernal Sounds seeks expansion in 2021! By opening up a digital exclusive series, the label looks to introduce more diverse, unorthodox sounds to the imprint and to the masses. So searching for an explosive opener, IFS look eastward and captures the sounds of Japan’s Karnage. Karnage has regularly impressed through recent years, whether it’s on his cutting-edge Vomitspit label or on the likes of Encrypted Audio and KWAIOTO Records, there is always a statement piece within. But for ‘Spirit Bomb‘ EP, Karnage makes sure the entire project is a statement piece, one that sets the pace for what is bound to be a must cop series from the Infernal Sounds crew.
Karnage covers all bases throughout the EP, beginning with the huge whiplashing wobbles of ‘Mordekaiser‘. A certified no nonsense opener, just face slapping, mutating wobbles primed to mutate the dancefloor. ‘Off Kilter‘ moves from the chaotic minimalism of is predecessor to provide earth shattering 808s, laced with more crunch and distortion than a broken VHS tape. The maniacal synth lingers and bedevils throughout, the abrasive vocal cuts enforce the knockout punch that the entire track threatens. It’s undoubtedly a heavy hitter to remember. Karnage switches the vibe for a moment with the thick atmospheres of ‘Shitamachi Walk‘. It’s smooth but powerful low end work and chilled reverberating chords provide a much needed breather before the inevitable detonation of the EP’s title track, ‘Spirit Bomb‘. One that’ll stand the test of time I’m sure, ‘Spirit Bomb‘ causes some finale appropriate ‘carnage’. An 808 attack of fuzz and creative eccentricity, featuring an unmistakeable and peculiar lead that conjures the supernatural for it’s wild climax, it’s Karnage at his emphatic best.
As I mentioned in last weeks ‘Hive‘ regarding Mongaidai, there’s something special being cultivated in the land of the rising sun right now and Karnage is the latest to prove just that. You should also follow Vomitspit’s latest movements to venture further in that direction. With the track record that Infernal Sounds has, it was never in doubt that Aneurin and crew could enlist such killer material for their first digital exclusive.
IFSD001 is out 05/02/2021 and available to download from the Infernal Sounds Bandcamp.
Check out Karnage on Soundcloud and Twitter.
Check out Infernal Sounds on Soundcloud and Twitter.