Final release on Roberto Marchioro's intimidatingly obscure Italian fanzine / record label AMEN, which focused on mainly industrial and experimental bands operating at the fridges of musical society. Reflecting on the context of how this sorta material actually came into fruition, pre the interconnectivity today's internet allows, really puts into perspective the notion of what 'the underground' actually means and totally blows my mind. Given it's so easy to tap into many scenes after just a couple of clicks these days, I totally respect the level of commitment it must have required to participate in the mythical subterranean cassette trading activities to enable these murky artists to coalesce into existence. This one, spread across two clear records (sorry) serves up choice cuts from extreme fringe artists of what I'm increasing calling '3am Discogs music' - aka a certain mutant strain of gurgling, iron-clad industrial nuisance and obfuscated musical abstractions that appear when you've gone too far down the rabbit hole and its way past yer bedtime. Completely besides the point to run through the artists individually, but highlights include two pieces of disorientating electro-acoustic tumult from Frenchman Alain Basso as Phaeton Derniere Danse, another equally bellowing, brain-crushing WTF moment from occasional Merzbow collaborator Yutaka Takanaka as S.core AND a dark, eerie, prowling club-number from The Tapes. Epic comp, not for everyone but hopefully MOST! (Vinyl & Sleeve VG++ // Missing booklet :-( ).
