Reviews:

From Synthesis: (by Troy Southgate)

  SUTCLIFFE Jügend and Satori - both from England - appeared together fairly recently on another Cold Spring release, 'Japan Tour 2007', so I think it's rather appropriate that on this occasion they are joined by the leading Japanese Noise phenomenon, Merzbow. This current split was recorded to mark the appearence of the trio at the University of London Union (ULU) in April 2008, but all three tracks were recorded in the studio. Tokyo's Masami Akita, who formed Merzbow as far back as 1979, is to aural clarity what sodium chloride is to your average common-or-garden slug and kicks off this ear-splitting adventure with the 15-minute odyssey, 'Feedyellow mix.1'. The track's rhythmic frequencies take up the beat as muffled swathes of sonic energy swirl through the musical vortex like a liquid migraine. I've always preferred Merzbow to, say, Yamazaki Maso's work with Masonna, because although it's amazingly intensive and always captivating the former somehow manages to retain a central structure of some kind. Merzbow represents order in the face of chaos; restraint in the face of licentiousness. In a metaphorical sense, perhaps, similar to the image of the silhouetted trees on the CD cover, which create a stark contrast to the eerie mist in the background. The track becomes increasingly more experimental once we pass the ten-minute mark, whoops and tones rising and falling like a beleagured cripple on an escalator. Merzbow puts your teeth on edge, your stress levels at maximum and your headphones on meltdown. And then it's time for the charmingly-named Sutcliffe Jügend, a misogynistic rottweiler lovingly unleashed by messrs. Kevin Tomkins and Paul Taylor as a Whitehouse side-project back in 1982. Their 'Pigmother' (as opposed to 'Pigdaddy', another Cold Spring release), squeals its way onto your radar like a blood-spattered sow. Full of mocking vocals and slurred electronics, this is a bizarre cornucopia of shrill frequencies, grating metal and sneering taunts. The third representative in our triumvirate, Satori, first issued 'Paralysis' as part of their vinyl 'Kanashibari' (2008) album for the Japanese label, Dogma Chase, but here we are introduced to the 'Hypnopompic Mix'. Strangely enough, I'm reading Gary Lachman's 'The Secret History of Consciousness' (2003) at the moment, which discusses the concept of hypnopompic states in some depth. It relates to the work done by Professor Andreas Mavromatis of Brunel University who, in 1987, puiblished his findings about the ability of some people to experience hypnogogia - or 'dreaming while awake' - during the onset of sleep. The word 'hypnopompic', on the other hand, explains the same process occurring at the moment of waking up. The style itself is closer to power electronics than many of the tracks on their previous release for Cold Spring, but at the same time it's hard to deny the semi-martial influences at work here. The infectious, tribal beat is assisted by the sound of a small bell that almost sounds vulnerable amidst the tumultuous background with its scathing wisps of radiophonic interference. It's like trying to find Radio Four in the heart of the Belgian Congo, with a cannibal breathing down your neck. Who probably happens to have a small bell, too ... er ... but it's a great track and Justin Michell and Neil Chaney have pulled another little beauty out of the hat because this is easily the best track out of those on offer. All in all, a nice little threesome and well worth grabbing while you still can.

From Vital Weekly: (by NM)

  Three exercises in ear-crushing symphony on this one! Japanese noise-legend Masami Akita alias Merzbow opens the show with the astonishing work "Feedyellow mix"; a repetitive piece of aural machismo clocking 14 minutes runtime. With an excellent hypnotic atmosphere of blasting noise this is Merzbow at his very best. Second on stage is Sutcliffe Jügend with the utterly bizarre track "Pigmother" containing probably some of the sickest vocals ever recorded. Together with noises from something sounding like a distorted chamber orchestra the listener will feel anything but comfortable
throughout the five minutes in company Sutcliffe Jugend. Last sound destructors are owner of Cold Spring, Justin Mitchell, in joint venture with Neil Chaney of Pessary. Operating under the name "Satori", the two sound pilots crush the hell out of the listener with a multi-layered noise-inferno. The work is a so-called "Hypnopompic" mix of the Paralysis-track originally from the "Kanashibari"-album released on the Dogma Chase-label in april month. Crushing drones of high frequency noise creates the ground layer meanwhile ritual rhythm textures of acoustic drumming add a great structure to harsh sound symphony. The result is hypnotizing and brutally intense. If you're looking for the art of contemporary noise music this split-album is a very good opportunity to destroy silence. Highly recommended!

From Musique Machine: (by Roger Batty)

  This three way split was original released as a give away for everyone who attended the recent Merzbow, Sutcliffe Jügend and Satori London show now it’s available to everyone else until the pressing of a 1000 runs out. And it’s a nice handy primmer to hear where all of the projects sounds were on the night with these exclusive tracks- with the Merzbow track been a monster size track near 15 minutes.

  First up we have the Merzbow track Feedyellow Mix.1 that starts off quite spacey with in it’s circling electro pulse tones, but soon enough a manic and tight rhythmic chopping sound takes centre stage and stays pretty constent through out the tracks life. To this main element he piles up around it a shifting noise canvas of all manner of interlink chopping, frying and boiling static tones, with quite harmonic and repetitive elements surfacing along the way. As those who have read my review show will know I’m not too taken by a return to more repatative, rhythmic and quite harmonic centred work, but I’ll have to admit this has started to grow on me and as it progresses there are some nice shifting of textures. It just still feels a little safe and dare I say commercial in its intent.

  Next up we Sutcliffe Jügend track Pig mother which follows on from his recent and superb Pig Daddy album with its attempts to stretch and bend power electronics into a more deranged carnival gone badly wrong vibe. With a Central noised up ‘n’ nasty rolling merry go round mix of electronics and guitar tones. Tompkins singing an almost a nightmarish and demented sea like shanty over the top, as lots of interest and dense textures sawing, perching your ears. Lastly we have the Satori track Paralysis (Hypnopompic mix) which open s up with descending dark march like rhythmic pattern, as we get deeper into the track a seething noise tone is added, along with layers of shifting and noisy dark ambience with a grim harmonic tendencies that keep surfacing. All it’s a nice dense, atmospheric and powerful track.

  A nice near on half an hour audio snapshot of each these three artists work around the early half of 08. But I think it will be of most interest to Merzbow fans as his track is the longest here at near 15 minutes.