After having recently re-released his entire discography with the remastered treatment, one last gem from Nocturnal Omissions’ past remains to be explored by Enter the Venture. “Aggravated Damage” is a collection of tracks originally released in 2008 from side projects or cut from Myspace releases that will be set for free release this month. Check out the album below:
As a combination of demos from Nocturnal Omissions’ early days, “Aggravated Damage” is naturally gives off the impression that the album will have a mixtape feel, as the songs come from different projects and time periods. Going in, the expectation is to listen to how these early demos built a foundation that helped shape the later albums.
“Ghostline” starts things off as a spooky digital wonderland consisting of mysterious imagery. It is certainly intriguing and makes you wonder what type of music we’re in for. “Doctrine of Lies” is an underground synth labyrinth of textures, overlays, and mixing constructs, while “Private Torment of Brundlefly” is a post-industrial collection of static guitars, synth bass, and a distorted vocal loop to add to the already haunting environment. It’s an unnerving experience that is edgy, unexpected, yet still under control. “Itchy Tasty” is what happens if a party were to happen at the Spencer Mansion in the Resident Evil franchise. It’s very futuristic sounding as flashing strobe lights and fog machines galore come to mind. The electronic melody carries you into a swaying movement with its hypnotic beat. The distorted closer increases the intensity of it all.
“Awakening” is a hopeful tune with an optimistic synth melody that drives over the tribal drums. It paints the picture of a Buddhist Sangha drum circle that it’s based on. As an early 2002 demo, it already showed the capabilities of what Nocturnal Omissions would soon blossom into. The following song “Freedom” is also an upbeat song. Arpeggio melodies syncopate with a clean sounding, captivating piano/synth line that juxtaposes with distortion to present a full, balanced sound.
The next three songs are the trifecta of madness. “Anger Management” is an intensified battering on the ears. The industrial drums combined with heavy distortion is chaotic, relentless, and aggressive. “Necromancer Sugar Daddy” is also a fun distorted affair with a cool drumbeat and some metal riffs thrown in, and “Kabijjian Magnificence” is a fast-paced rocker that will leave you headbanging. The closing “Space Critters” is a cryptic, hidden track that nicely bookends the experimental experience that is this album.
Overall, “Aggravated Damage” is concentrated on using a multitude of sounds that cascade over the underlying electronic loops. The album would be perfect in a movie soundtrack about someone spiraling out of control into a mental breakdown. The opening tracks start off in a familiar territory, leading into the optimistic middle of the album before nose diving into the craziness and full-on distortion. Although the songs were not originally intended to be sequenced in this track listing, these demos still have a nice flow from one song to the next. As a collection of oddities, it still ranks as a noteworthy listen to the Nocturnal Omissions discography. This album is for anyone looking to satiate their electro-noise appetite.
Discover more of Nocturnal Omissions on Bandcamp, YouTube, Spotify, Apple, Instagram, Twitter and his website.
Enter The Venture 