The split LP “Zerfall“ by Mossadeq and Violență Domestică, released through Grazil Records and Teratogen, represents a deep dive into the industrial noise and experimental soundscapes. Both projects, hailing from Graz, Austria, delve deep into the darker, grittier corners of industrial and avant-garde music, crafting a disturbing and mesmerizing auditory experience. While Mossadeq delivers a more comprehensive, versatile, approach with many layers of ambient sound and noise, Violență Domestică brings a pulsating, synthy, rhythmic intensity that contrasts yet complements Mossadeq’s compositions. Together, they form a split album that defies convention, offering an intense and immersive exploration into the depths of sonic experimentation.
Mossadeq’s side of the split presents six carefully crafted tracks that envelop the listener in a fog of industrial noise, warped ambient textures, and layers of ethereal serenity. The compositions move like a vast, churning machine—at once mechanical and organic—pulling the listener into a world where sound seems to distort the very fabric of reality. What sets Mossadeq apart is the ability to blend harsh, abrasive elements with moments of quiet calm. The use of fuzz and distortion pedals brings a raw, almost abrasive texture to the forefront of the tracks, creating an overwhelming sense of chaos. Yet, beneath this wall of noise, there lies a subtle melodic core—a soothing, ambient quality that offers a stark contrast to the more aggressive elements. It’s this balance between heaviness and tranquility that makes Mossadeq’s music so compelling. Tracks like “Václav” and “Czech” showcase this dichotomy in full force. The industrial noise churns like a mechanical beast, driven by harsh drones and grinding feedback, while delicate, almost ghostly melodies float just beneath the surface. The music feels cinematic, as though each track is the score to a dystopian film where machines have taken over and the human soul lingers as a distant memory. Mossadeq expertly manipulates sound, creating compositions that are dense and immersive yet spacious enough for moments of introspection. The artist toys with the listener’s perception of chaos and order, building up layers of rhythmic, industrial, harsh noise only to let them dissipate into calming, ambient soundscapes. It’s like walking through a crumbling city at night, where the distant hum of machines is both oppressive and strangely comforting.
While Mossadeq’s music focuses on atmosphere, abstraction, and nearly post-punk, post-hardcore, and hardcore rhythmic patterns, Violență Domestică’s side of Zerfall turns the intensity up several notches, injecting the industrial framework with rhythmic propulsion and electronic fury. Violență Domestică veers more towards traditional industrial music but with a distinct experimental twist. Pulsating sequences, distorted melodies, and aggressive beats are the order of the day, creating an unrelenting, primal and futuristic soundscape. Where Mossadeq’s compositions felt like a journey through a mechanical wasteland, Violență Domestică’s tracks are more akin to a factory in full motion—loud, rhythmic, and relentless. Tracks like “Zerfall” and “Worthless” are driven by propelling beats and pulsing electronic sequences, giving the music a sense of forward momentum. The raw, abrasive textures of industrial noise are still present, but they’re framed within the context of rhythm and structure, making the music feel more immediate and physical. The melodies, though often dissonant, bring a sense of cohesion to the chaos, providing something for the listener to latch onto as the beats and noise swirl around them. Violență Domestică’s approach feels more visceral compared to Mossadeq’s style—this is industrial music for the body as much as the mind, designed to be felt as much as heard.
Yet, despite the rhythmic propulsion, Violență Domestică remains deeply experimental, never content to follow a straightforward path. The beats may propel the music forward, but they are constantly shifting, breaking down, and rebuilding themselves. In this sense, Violență Domestică’s music maintains the unpredictability of the avant-garde, pushing the boundaries of traditional industrial music while still staying rooted in its core elements. The result is a series of tracks that are equally suited for dark, smoke-filled clubs as they are for solitary listening sessions in dimly lit rooms. What ties these two projects together on Zerfall is their shared commitment to pushing the limits of sound. While they each approach industrial music from different angles—Mossadeq with a more post-hardcore and hardcore punk flair and Violență Domestică with a more rhythmic, electronic pulse—both artists embrace the raw, chaotic, and abrasive qualities of industrial noise. The result is a split album that feels cohesive yet diverse, offering two distinct but complementary takes on industrial music.
The noise, the distortion, the dissonance—it’s all carefully crafted to create something greater than the sum of its parts. Mossadeq and Violență Domestică are not just making noise for the sake of noise; they are building worlds out of sound, constructing intricate layers of texture and rhythm that invite the listener to explore and get lost within them. The album demands full attention—it’s not background music, but a sonic experience that pulls you in and refuses to let go. The production on Zerfall is top-notch, with every sound placed to create a sense of depth and immersion. Whether it’s the dense layers of Mossadeq’s ambient noise or the pounding rhythms of Violență Domestică, every element feels carefully considered and perfectly executed. The vinyl format, available through Grazil Records and Teratogen, only enhances this experience, giving the music a warmth and physicality that adds to its already immersive quality. Zerfall is a masterclass in industrial noise and experimental music, showcasing two different yet equally compelling approaches to the genre. Mossadeq’s ambient, cinematic soundscapes offer a journey through desolation and beauty, while Violență Domestică’s rhythmic, electronic pulses deliver a visceral, body-moving intensity. Together, they create a challenging and rewarding album, a split that defies easy categorization and pushes the listener to explore the outer edges of industrial music.
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