Massaith – 4 . My Inner Demon Speaks / Chapter One (Album – Ant-Zen)
Genre/Influences: Experimental, Abstract, Noise-Ambient, Industrial.
Format: Digital.
Background/Info: Last year Anatoly ‘Tokee’ Grinberg released the debut work of this new project. Quite curiously the debut work was entitled “4 . My Inner Demon Speaks – Chapter Two” while the second work is entitled “Chapter One”. The name of this project means ‘truck’ in Hebrew, Grinberg being from Russian-Israeli origin. The work is his ‘personal tribute to those years when he was doing his army service as a military truck driver’.
Content: This album features 7 tracks, which sound in the line of the debut work. Anatoly Grinberg takes off with a harsh Noise-Ambient opener, which also appears to be the heaviest cut from his work. Quite progressively he injected Industrial elements and rhythms to his composition. Some passages are totally Experimental-like. But the main characteristic and maybe difference with the previous album is the kind of intimate and inhibited sphere emerging from the production. The last track even sounds pretty Cinematographic-like.
+ + + : Massaith remains an ‘extreme’ sonic experience, but I like the way the underlying Noise style has been transposed into an intimate and even personal atmosphere. This album sounds less improvised than its predecessor. “Guilt” is a noticeable track illustrating this approach. “Melancholia” is another attention grabber, which sounds a bit similar. The more Industrial-driven “Distress” is also worthy of examination.
– – – : Some tracks are a little bit too extended for my taste, but I have to admit I’ve been never a huge fan of Experimental compositions mixing Noise.
Conclusion: I can’t say this album is for Noise lovers, but it definitely reveals an interesting and sensible approach to music featuring Noise elements.
Best songs: “Guilt”, “Melancholia”, “Distress”.
Rate: (7).
Artist: www.facebook.com/Massaith
Label: www.ant-zen.com / www.facebook.com/antzen.official
About Massaith
Massaith is the project of Russian-Israeli composer Anatoly “Tokee” Grinberg, who has written and released music since 2004 under names including Tokee, ARG, Paindonor and Bouquiniste. The name Massaith means “truck” in Hebrew, a reference to Grinberg’s army service as a military truck driver. The project debuted on Ant-Zen with “4 . My Inner Demons Speaks . Chapter Two” on April 22, 2020, followed by “4 . My Inner Demons Speaks . Chapter One” on February 23, 2021, the album reviewed here.
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.
