Lines In Wax

TWELVE YEARS OF UNWANTED OPINION

Month: February 2019

Commander Mengele (1987)
exploitation

Commander Mengele (1987)

Commando Mengele, or Angel of Death is an 1987 action movie that is best completely forgotten about. This is one of those films which is totally devoid of action, suspense or anything of any real interest. The plot is fucking dire, the cinematography is just appalling, the acting is unspeakable. The only thing of any redeemable quality is the synthesizer soundtrack, and even that sounds like a cross between the soundtracks of a porno and a cheap thriller. I’m not even gonna give this the justice of a plot outline. I will round this off by saying that this film contains one of the worst scenes I’ve ever seen. A woman scans a photograph of Mengele into a computer which instantly dictates back to her – in a robotic voice – who is in the picture and when it was taken. Boy, even by today’s standards we don’t have this outstanding technology! 

2 Minuta Dreka / Lymphatic Phlegm – Split 7″ (2010)
grindcore

2 Minuta Dreka / Lymphatic Phlegm – Split 7″ (2010)

The 2 Minuta Dreka stuff here seems to stand out from the rest of their discography, taking a super-downtuned, 8 string approach to proceedings. Frankly, it is rather jarring, even more so than the difference between their pornogrind and their noisecore. It isn’t bad per se, but I’m glad to see that they did not continue in this direction for very long. Lymphatic Phlegm I’ve never been a massive fan of, but I have come to appreciate their spooky, eery take on goregrind. It is nothing short of legendary, after all. There is nothing new to the Lymphatic canon here (Lymphatic Cannon! There’s a song title for you!) but they do what they do and they do it well. <a href=”http://goatgrindrecords.bandcamp.com/album/7-split-with-2-minuta-dreka”>7″ split with 2 Minuta Dreka by LYMPHATIC PHLEGM</a>

Sadist – Above The Light (1993)
metal

Sadist – Above The Light (1993)

What we have hear is a prime example of the genus Metallicus Typicalus. Often, in its natural habitat, the foibles of such can be glossed over by the dedicated elite, but stand it alone, and its blemishes can be seen – and heard – all the more easily. What I’m trying to say is, Beyond The Light is not the perfect metal album, not by a long shot, but it an entertaining one, warts and all.

Xasthur – A Gate Through Blood Stained Mirrors (2001)
black metal

Xasthur – A Gate Through Blood Stained Mirrors (2001)

Christ, this is fucking miserable. In the best possible way, of course. Xasthur has this interesting method of making the most damp recordings sound absolutely hypnotizing and magical, and A Gate Through Blood Stained Mirrors is of no exception to that rule. This is a long one, to be honest, but if you’ve got the time, the pay off is phenomenal. This shits on most “transcendent” black metal. A Gate Through Bloodstained Mirrors by Xasthur