Do you remember what it was like to discover your favorite genre of music for the first time? How exciting and inspiring it was to dig deep into its inspirations to find out exactly how your favorite musicians arrived at the music they came to make? The process is enthralling and can be genuinely inspiring to undertake. History of artistic endeavors and expressions can be a tricky thing, however, and it can be shocking when something from the past resurfaces to shake things up. For Black Tish, due to evolving tastes of the band members, they only agreed on a finished product in “Throbbing Flip Out” ten years after they formed in 1998, which due to circumstances only was released in 2023 at the same time of the release of Black Tish’s 2nd album, “Viral Apocalypse,” which came about after a 20 year break. The double-release debut begins with the first track on 1998’s Throbbing Flip Out, “E-Lips.”
The rapid percussions are cut into by the buzzing rips of the distorted guitar. When the bass creeps in alongside the wails of another guitar, the combination becomes hypnotic. The distorted riffs become like whirring machinery as everything falls into place, with the sinister synths underscoring the track with a creeping sensation as you dive deeper into the track. The longer it goes, the longer the mechanical harmony cuts through the dark and foreboding synthesized screams. The tone of the track changes around the 4-minute mark to something less mechanical and more atmospheric, but just as dark. “E-Lips” makes a startling first impression to the industrial fan with an intro track that has the feel of something out of an early Skinny Puppy or KMFDM album.
“Gas” follows it up. Distorted buzzing backed by the heavy pounding drum creates a foreboding atmosphere. When the synths begin to pull the noise down into itself it begins to feel as if something is being revealed, with quickening synth wooshes leading into dark guitars that lead into vile riffs. The ambient dark melody is entrancing and is easy to get lost in, especially with the deep drums and tinny cymbals solidifying the sinister charm. It’s hard to not move your head to the slow swings of the bass and the cries of the wailing guitars. It creates a haunting atmosphere whose percussion is at its best when it feels as if the drums hit like thunder, making the rapid bass a treat to hear whenever it hits. “Gas” continues the dark momentum set up by “E-Lips” in fantastic form, chock full of sludgy synths, haunting voice samples and a lovingly mad mechanical melody.
“Opres” is another stand-out track. The squashed distortion is uplifted by the blinking synths before the guitars rip into them like the whirring synths that come and go. The heavy riffs take command as the drums thunder beneath them, before more guitars and synths rend into the instrumentals as they insert their grit into the track. When the metal sounds dance on top of the thundering double-bass drums, it creates a harmony that will leave any industrial fan smiling. When the guitars come into their own swing around the 2-minute mark, it becomes impossible to not sway to the wailing melody they bring. This element is flipped on its head just a little later as the track meets its mechanical roots, with harsh guitars that meet the distorted synths like metal screaming as it rubs against itself.
“Old Song 2020” is the first stand-out track off of their latest work, “Viral Apocalypse.” The beat that persists through the static distortion is instantly engaging, making you search for it when it is flanked and dampened by the wailing guitars. When the bass takes over the beat, it changes the tone of the track to a much darker aesthetic as it rides in on heavy percussion and distorted guitar riffs. During the first half of the track, the percussion pops and bangs with authority among the sludgy voice samples that weave themselves into the track. The wailing guitars take command of the second half, creating a shockingly tense atmosphere as their wails cut through the track like a buzzsaw. The track sounds like it brings the vibe you would expect from a modern day industrial club and leaves you wanting even more when it’s over.
“Squishy” kicks things off with a screaming sample of a little girl, followed by heavy synths that immediately create a tension that a wavy sound takes over, creating a sinister atmosphere with a quick musical pace which can seem disorienting at first. The beat is hard to not move to as it marches into the dark depths of the track before the guitars come onto the scene to shred the track apart. The distorted riffs tear into the beat and are soon overtaken by synths that follow it, alongside even more sinister sounds to create an atmosphere that is cinematically immersive. The screams of the guitars steal the show on “Squishy,” and that quality alone is enough to keep any industrial fan coming back for more.
“Musique Concrete” is another stand-out off of their latest album. The heavy synths match up with the busy ones that flank them, making way for the guitar riffs that carve a path of distortion in their wake. When they take a backseat and become muffled, the industrial vocals take over in an enthralling command of “musique concrete” before the instrumentals once again take center stage. The heavy synths create a dark swing that’s easy to move your body to, whether you’re sitting or standing, with guitars that feed the side of you that wants to rock out. The pauses for the commanding vocal samples work well to break the action up each time, only to resume the heavy grooves that get harder and harder to not move your body to as the track goes on. It all serves to make the statement that “Musique Concrete” makes feel definitive, and is an absolute must-listen for any fan of the genre.
Black Tish has released two albums that may come to serve as a new set of north stars for industrial music. The release situation of “Throbbing Flip Out” may feel unprecedented to an avid fan of the genre, but tracks such as “E-Lips” and “Nightride” are undeniably rooted in the early era of the genre. Tracks such as “Gas” stretch into the future in tracks such as “New Song 2020,” taking the listener on a time-leaping journey that will warp the mind. This is especially true when paired with the experimental intrigue “New New Song 2020” brings upon its first listen, not to mention the homecoming moment any fan of the genre will experience upon listening to “Musique Concrete” for the first time. These qualities make this double-release an absolute must-listen for anyone who considers themselves a fan of industrial music, with “Throbbing Flip Out” being an amazing piece of newly-discovered musical history.
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