Released 40 years ago
Batztoutai with Memorial Gadgets
Merzbow · 1986
92 min · 10 tracks · industrial music
A cacophonous exploration of texture, merging industrial noise with an avant-garde sensibility that challenges conventional listening.
Top tracks — play these first
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Uluk Constitution Start here — establishes the sonic palette early
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This Dying Toad Become Forthwith Like Coal for Colour Black — The extended duration allows for a gradual build-up of tension, immersing listeners in a world of unsettling sounds and textures that epitomize Merzbow's experimental ethos.
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Batz Tou Tai – The Nightingale’s Song — Clocking in at over 17 minutes, this track encapsulates Merzbow's ability to create an immersive soundscape, blending harsh tones with moments of eerie calm.
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Wild Animals and Polyhedral Garden — This closing track serves as a culmination of the album's themes, featuring complex layers of noise that evoke an almost organic feeling within its chaotic structure.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
InstrumentalThe album's dense soundscapes and improvisational nature mark it as a significant work in noise music.
What we noticed
- The album features extended tracks that often exceed five minutes, allowing for gradual shifts in texture and intensity.
- There are no traditional song structures; instead, the pieces evolve through improvisation and manipulation of sound sources.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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7/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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9/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- immersive auditory exploration
- wave-like pacing with peaks
- dynamic texture collisions
- focused late-night listening
- challenging soundscapes for patience
Maybe skip if you
- seeking catchy, instant gratification
- prefering structured, predictable formats
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Experimental — Represents a significant evolution in sound, challenging conventional listening.
- Themes
- industrial soundscapes· chaotic auditory immersion· experimental noise textures
- Career context
- Released in 1986, Batztoutai with Memorial Gadgets is Merzbow's fourth studio album, marking a significant evolution in his sound. This album follows the acclaimed Pulse Demon and showcases his deepening exploration of harsh noise and drone music. It stands as a pivotal moment in the artist's development, reflecting his commitment to pushing the boundaries of sonic experimentation.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Nurse With Wound· Whitehouse· The Haxan Cloak
Tracklist
Disc 1
- 1 Uluk Constitution Start here 3:43
- 2 This Dying Toad Become Forthwith Like Coal for Colour Black 9:33
- 3 One Eyed Metal 9:53
- 4 Batz Tou Tai – The Nightingale’s Song 17:29
- 5 Junk Dahkini 6:13
Disc 2
- 1 Semykyoku 4:27
- 2 Anus Anvil Anxiety 7:05
- 3 Dahkini Disko 10:58
- 4 Mortegage 5:04
- 5 Wild Animals and Polyhedral Garden 18:20
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
20 Jazz Funk Greats
Throbbing Gristle
Explores chaotic soundscapes with a blend of industrial noise and experimental textures.
Chance Meeting on a Dissecting Table of a Sewing Machine and an Umbrella
Nurse With Wound
Merges harsh noise with surreal sound collages, creating an unsettling yet immersive auditory landscape.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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