Back catalogue: Leftfield

Review: Returning with his redemption attempt follow up to 2020's We Are Chaos, industrial metal shock-rock provocateur Marilyn Manson seeks to skirt the numerous controversies and accusations accrued in the last few years with his most potent musical statement in decades. Signing with Nuclear Blast and enlisting the likes of Chelsea Wolfe collaborator/producer Tyler Bates to helm the project, his 12th full-length One Assassination Under God: Chapter 1 (indicating that more is sure to follow), offers up some of the heaviest and introspective material of his career to date, with cuts such as 'Nod If You Understand' harking back to the unhinged angst of Antichrist Superstar, whereas 'As Sick As The Secrets Within' breathes with the same mercurial synth-gloom as the strongest moments on Mechanical Animals. A cynical attempt to regain fan adoration, or the sound of a tortured artist finally coming to terms with his own demons and attempting to rediscover former glory and prowess, the interpretation is entirely your own to consider.

Review: Argentinian crowds are probably the most exciting to play to in the world. And Marilyn Manson at this time had just released his Trent Reznor-produced masterpiece LP Antichrist Superstar and was at the peak of his game, so to say a ticket to this show at the Velez Sarsfield stadium in Buenos Aires was hot property is an understatement. This is about as good as heavy metal rock n' roll gets and not many will come close to the thrills that a 90s Marilyn Manson show brought. The setlist is monumental, with singles from Antichrist Superstar such as industrial metal banger 'The Beautiful People' and 'Tourniquet', which sounds like the blueprint to the nu-metal boom that was to come, among the highlights. Unusually for a live album, it's taut, with the track list limited to 11 songs, but this is for good reason. In a moment of Spinal Tap-esque horror, shortly after the final track you hear on the album, the band's drummer Ginger Fish received an electric shock whilst playing and the show ended abruptly. Putting his body on the line like that to deliver this blistering set is an heroic deed and it's a fantastic consolation to have this show fossilised onto vinyl.

Review: The somewhat surprising return and attempt at redemption from the industrial metal shock-rocker Marilyn Manson has been a bold pill to swallow, with the once iconic provocateur seeking to avoid the many allegations and numerous controversies he has garnered over the last decade. Attending rehab and becoming fully sober over the past few years has seen dramatic weight loss, a notably more lowkey public demeanour and a newly signed record deal with Nuclear Blast (having been dropped by Loma Vista not long after 2020's We Are Chaos) turn a few heads, simultaneously cautious and curious as to the authenticity of this humble arc. With lawsuits recently thrown out, the court of public opinion appears to be the only form of due process that shall occur, leaving it to individual listeners to make up their mind as to the merit of the artist as a person. As to the art itself, One Assassination Under God: Chapter 1 is the 12th album to adorn the name Marilyn Manson, and it's his best since 2000's Holy Wood. Tapping Chelsea Wolfe collaborator/producer Tyler Bates to oversee the entire project has helped to create a generational bridge between how out of sync Manson himself had become with his own artistic strengths and audience desire, and Bates' insider knowledge as a younger fan first, collaborator second. Together they rediscover the core industrialist menace, gothic romanticism and hedonistic nihilism that kept listeners hooked after the initial shock of aesthetic would cease, but for the first time in decades, it feels earnest and earned rather than forced. Boasting Antichrist Superstar style buzzsaw synths and chug-heavy breakdowns on cuts such as 'Nod If You Understand', while the self-deprecating admission of using drugs to hide behind monstrous flaws on the gloomy balladry of 'As Sick As The Secrets Within' harks back to the most fragile moments of Mechanical Albums. Be it a cynical cashgrab or attempt to regain fan adoration, or the genuine musings of a tortured artist finally learning to face his own demons head on, there's simply no denying that this is Manson at his most potent, intimate and focused, begging the question of how different of a career trajectory and latter day output might we have had if the man had learned to look inward long before hitting the bottom.

Review: Returning with his first full-length since 2020's David Bowie-indebted We Are Chaos, while more notably marking the industrial metal goth icon's return to the spotlight following a series of troubling allegations that seemingly appear to now hang in limbo, One Assassination Under God: Chapter 1 shall serve as the 12th full-length studio endeavour from Marilyn Manson. Co-produced with frequent Chelsea Wolfe collaborator and film scorer Tyler Bates, the material boasts some of the most synth-laden, new wave winking and direct metallic rock bangers the mercurial yet questionable figure has dropped in almost two decades, making for a sonic victory lap of sorts as Manson attempts to rebuild his brand and aesthetic.

Review: Italian-born, Berlin-based. These details alone are enough to mark Velvet May out as a product of location. Italy has long-been obsessed with a distorted futurism, musically at least, with a slew of hugely respected noise pioneers calling the country home, particularly in northern areas around Torino. Meanwhile, Germany's capital is all about those dystopian aesthetics and technophile attitude. Fusing together industrial, rock, and electronic in a visceral, mechanical, human-trapped-in-machine amalgamation of sound, the grit of production lines meets the unbridled raw energy of punk, the sex droid seduction of electroclash steaming headfirst into the forward momentum of techno. It's angry, frustrated, perhaps even desperate, voices calling out from behind wires and controllers. Yet, in other moments ('Haven of Thrill', for example) it's positively life-affirming and, dare it be said, owes something to the euphoria of rave.

Review: Drew McDowall's latest album, A Thread, Silvered and Trembling, is an exploration of electronic processing and traditional Scottish pibroch music. Co-produced with Randall Dunn, the album features a dynamic orchestral ensemble arranged by Brent Arnold, creating an eclectic and transcending sonic experience. The album's four pieces move between shrouded electronics and enigmatic orchestration, surging into elegant crescendos and evoking deep animism. Tracks like 'Out of Strength Comes Sweetness' and 'And Lions Will Sing with Joy' feature keening strings and disorienting drones, while 'In Wound and Water' sways with eerie cello undertones and lush layers of electronics. The album reaches its climactic peak with A Dream of a Cartographic Membrane Dissolves, where processed voices and grand orchestral stabs converge to create a haunting and cathartic finale. Throughout, McDowall's music explores themes of sacredness and profanity, creating a journey that lingers long after the music fades. A Thread, Silvered and Trembling is a testament to McDowall's ability to blend traditional influences with experimental electronic soundscapes, resulting in a thought-provoking work.

Review: Masami Akita, known as Merzbow, continues his sonic exploration with 'Circular Reference,' his latest release and debut on No Holiday. Renowned as a pioneer of extreme noise, Akita unleashes a torrent of synthesised tones intermingled with layers of feedback and midrange noise, creating an intense listening experience. Despite the relentless intensity, the album also offers moments of lurching rhythms and uneasy calm, characteristic of Merzbow's distinctive style. With over 500 recordings since 1980, Merzbow remains a seminal figure in noise music, drawing inspiration from diverse influences including progressive rock, heavy metal, and dadaism. The name 'Merzbow' itself pays homage to Kurt Schwitters' Merzbau, reflecting Akita's fascination with found objects and avant-garde aesthetics. Circular Reference promising to impress long time fans while making some new ones along the way. Amplify the experience by playing it loud, and experience Akita's latest impact on experimental music.

Review: Ministry's The Land of Rape and Honey is a pivotal release in both the band's discography and the evolution of industrial music. This genre-defining album marked their shift from synthpop to industrial metal, characterised by distorted guitars, pounding beats, and aggressive, sample-rich compositions. The deluxe edition enhances this landmark with iconic tracks like 'Stigmata', 'The Missing;, and the haunting title track, along with exclusive remixes and extended cuts. Tracks like 'The Missing' and 'Deity' highlight the album's metal edge, blending thrash aggression with industrial elements. 'Golden Dawn' introduces a dark, ritualistic tone with samples from occult sources, showcasing Ministry's skill in merging industrial and post-industrial aesthetics. Songs like 'Destruction' and 'Hizbollah' expand the sonic palette with chaotic percussion and Middle Eastern influences. The title track, despite its controversial samples, reinforces the band's anti-fascist stance with its militaristic atmosphere. Closing with 'Abortive', the album offers a reflective end to its intense journey. The Land of Rape and Honey stands as a crucial bridge between early industrial soundscapes and the metal-influenced industrial of the 90s.

Review: Kiyoshi Mizutani is a cult hero to noise fans. The Merzbow co-founder is celebrated by them for his unique approach to sound which finds him building immersive worlds that blend noise, field recordings and abstract textures. he Same Thing Makes Always Her Laugh is a brilliant experimental album recorded in 1989 and a perfect primer for those new to his work. It manipulates everyday sounds into something deeply atmospheric and evocative and while rooted in the avant-garde, it maintains an emotional depth that sets it apart. A truly boundary-pushing work of noise art.

Review: Pedro Vian and Merzbow release their first joint work, Inside Richard Serra Sculptures, marking a worthy expressionistic turn in an already monumental discography by the former artist. Building on and expanding upon a series of field recordings made by Vian inside one of the artist Richard Serra's sculptures, then housed at the DIA Beacon Foundation, this eponymous two-park work is a guttural, verging on obscene noise crud-out, albeit one which still scoops redoubts of emotion from its expansive walls and toothy upheavals. Vian's original recordings are lent an ungular sharpness by the latter Japanese noise legend, whose name not only adds much clout to the mix but whose sound likewise eviscerates the sounds derived from the modernist roundhouses of Serra's work. An acousmatic masterwork laid to record, with brutally frank but ultimately rewarding consequences.