Genre/Influences: Indie-Noise, Industrial.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Skiska Skooper is a Belgian trio, which released their second album “Surreality Check” already a while ago now (2020).

Content: “Surreality Check” features 9 songs, taking off with a brutal assault of heavy guitar power, fast drum sections and enraged vocal parts. I think the definition ‘Indie-Noise’ is totally appropriate but I also notice a darker and Industrial driven approach.

+ + + : “Surreality Check” is a harsh production carried by impressive, powerful and devastating guitar parts accompanied by frenetic drums while synth arrangements are adding the final touch to the work. There’s also something to say about the evil and passionate vocals’ production, which is totally matching with the sonic aggression. You can’t totally label Skiska Skooper and that’s rather a reference; anarchistic noise terrorists doing their own thing!

– – – : There’s a kind of ‘ballad’ song right in the midst of the tracklist, which has nothing in common with the rest of the work.

Conclusion: When you’re mixing Sonic Youth, Big Black and Nirvana together you might get an idea how Skiska Skooper sounds!

Best songs: “Dreamgazer”, “Plastic Mastermind”, “Northern Escort”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist & Label: www.facebook.com/skiskaskooper

About Skiska Skooper

Skiska Skooper is a Belgian band that Discogs files under indienoise. The listed line-up is Mathias Bex, Pieter-Jan Theunis and Bert Jacobs.

The group first appeared in 2018 with “Universal Space Shifter” and “Pink Harlot”. The single “Plastic Mastermind” came out in 2020 on the band’s own SS Records, the same year as the second album “Surreality Check” reviewed above. The trio has no Bandcamp presence, and the only official contact point listed with the release is the band’s Facebook page.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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.

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