Machinery Directive / Hypnoskull – Lobotomy Springs / Vier Geschichten (Album – EE Tapes)
Genre/Influences: Rhythmic-Noise, Industrial.
Format: Digital, CD, Cassette.
Background/Info: This production is a split release between a newcomer aka Machinery Directive and a veteran aka Hypnoskull. Both projects are hailing from Belgium while the album has been released on the good-old Belgian label EE Tapes.
Content: Machinery Directive wants to remain anonymous, but seems to be a project by Sem Cappaert (also involved with a few other projects). The 6 tracks by this artist are moving from merciless Rhythmic-Noise towards a few more Experimental passages although driven by hard, Industrial sonic manipulations with the overall sphere supporting the work sounds hostile.
Hypnoskull doesn’t need any further introduction and takes off straight away with a devastating Rhythmic-Noise piece reminding the glorious days of Esplendor Geometrico. And here again there’s an interesting mix between devastating, sonic assaults at one side and a few ‘softer’ cuts.
+ + + : I’m not that fond of split releases, but I like this one for the coherence between both artists. There’s a kind of match between their sound and approach, which becomes even more interesting as Hypnoslull is a long-time renowned artist and clearly a reference in this music genre while Machinery Directive clearly appeals to be an ambassador for the next Industrial generation. I would especially recommend “Closer To God” from Machinery Directive and “Why So Nothing” from Hypnoskull. The last mentioned cut features a few vocal parts. Another great Hypnoskull cut is “Beyrouth Hunt For Dead Terrorist”, which sounds like an Industrial version of Muslimgauze… while it has been composed to pay homage to Bryn Jones. This is a great wink to the genius of Bryn Jones.
– – – : If you’re not into Industrial, Rhythmic-Noise and related music genres, this album will be your worst nightmare! I don’t see real minor points!
Conclusion: This is the sound of the Belgian Rhythmic-Noise scene: hard and merciless, sonic terrorism and hostile tracks!
Best songs: Machinery Directive: “Closer To God”, “Lobotomy Spring 2”, “Lobotomy Springs” + Hypnoskull: “Why So Nothing”, “Beyrouth Hunt For Dead Terrorist”, “Steal Kneel”.
Rate: 8.
Artists: https://soundcloud.com/machinery-directive / www.facebook.com/therealhypnoskull
Label: www.eetapes.be / www.facebook.com/eriek.vanhavere
About Machinery Directive and Hypnoskull
Hypnoskull started in 1992 as the project of Belgian artist Patrick Stevens, combining analog electronics with harsh rhythm structures. Stevens had earlier formed one half of the Belgian rhythmic industrial duo Sonar, and has also worked with Raoul Roucka of Noisex as Cybernetic:Fuckheadz and under the names Sona Eact, Reset, Sliding Elements, Trivial Gender and 33MHz.
The albums “Rythmusmaschine 1-2” in 1998, “Ffwd>Burnout!” in 1999 and “Electronic Music Means War To Us” in 2001 established the project. Later records include “Panik Mekanik” in 2006 and “Industrial Owes Us Money” in 2008, both on Ant-Zen, “Operation Mean Machine” in 2012, and the 7-inch single “The Trickster” in 2020. Side-Line marked the project’s 25th year when Hypnoskull celebrated its 25th anniversary with the ‘die4.generation’ 2CD album, and published a ‘Click Interview’ with Hypnoskull in January 2018.
Machinery Directive is listed on Discogs as a newcomer in the Belgian noise and industrial scene. “Lobotomy Springs / Vier Geschichten” is its first release to appear on the Belgian label EE Tapes, run by Eriek Van Havere, and is the only entry the project shares with Hypnoskull.
Support Side-Line
More people read Side-Line than ever, and there is still no paywall and no advertising. Readers pay for it instead - from $5 a month.
Why we ask
Advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations we have not put up a paywall, and we refuse to add annoying advertising, so we need to ask for your help. Side-Line’s independent journalism takes time, money and hard work to produce, and we do it to push the artists we like, who are equally fighting to survive.
Handled by PayPal.
I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.
