James Plotkin's Atomsmasher

Artist: James Plotkin's Atomsmasher
Label: Hydrahead Records
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 798546181122
EAN: 0798546181122
ASIN: B00005LAGR

Release Date: 2001-06-19

James Plotkin's Atomsmasher

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General

| Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock

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Alt Industrial

Indie Rock

| Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Noise

Experimental Rock

Tracks:

Caught In Your Orbit
Zanzibar
Thunderspit
Phantom Smasher
Gilgamesh
Skitchy
Very Much Want Head Return
Placebo
Skull Shot
Someone Is Trying To Kill Me
Pokemon Gangbang

Similar Items:

Phantomsmasher
Wonderful Rainbow

Customer Reviews:

Lots of potential, but too abusive to the listener.......2004-03-28

I haven't heard everything that James Plotkin has done, but much of what I have heard has fallen into the "I wish I could like this, but just don't" category. The music he put out with OLD was immensely creative, and had one of the most original sounds ever heard in metal (I'd hesitate to even call it metal, although it definitely had metal's energy and harshness). Plotkin shares a lot with John Zorn-- like Zorn, his music has sadomasochistic quality to it-- you sense that he wants to hurt his listeners. With Atomsmasher (and the doom project Khanate), this tendency has full reign. There are some really cool things going on here, really creative chord progressions, with influences all over the place. It's very adventurous, avant-garde stuff, which is what I usually tend to like. I just find myself wishing it was less harsh and noise-oriented, and more musical. I think it's the drums that really ruin it for me. They're incredible, played with lots of skill and inventiveness, but they completely overwhelm the music-- and although they're acoustic (I guess) they manage to sound electronic and programmed. I was not a huge fan of this drummer's other band, Discordance Axis, for the same reason; I guess I don't like this drummer's technique very much-- it's way too busy and overbearing for my tastes. The interludes between the walls of drums show how much talent this band has-- take all those moments, get rid of the drums, and I think you'd have an incredible album. Essentially, I think it's Plotkin's material that I like, with it's beautiful ambient and jazz-influenced weirdness, while the contributions of the vocalist and drummer ruin the experience for me. The second album by this trio (the band changed their name to Phantomsmasher for that one) is very much the same in this way, but the contributions of the other musicians are not quite so dominant as they are here, and I like it better for that reason.

Find the jewels!.......2003-04-24

Intense "battlefield" kind of music. I got out of there on 3 "key" tracks: the 4th, the 5th and the 8th. The other ones sound too quirky to give the feeling they head in a precise direction, but after some abortions - there it is for a complete coherent-sounding track, like the disturbance is lessenend, the conscience becomes ready for facing the storm!! After Nr8: nice chill with short hints at new possible trips.

So I see this CD as PRODUCED, one of my topmost beloved ones ever.

James Plotkin is amazing.......2003-03-14

this record isnt just noise, as opposed to what the other reviewers may think. in addition to the inhumanly fast drumming from discordance axis' dave witte, and the completely insane sampled blender vocals from dj speedranch, plotkin's bass and guitar compositions range from dissonant to beautiful. plotkin's playing perfectly coincides with the monstrosity of blast beats and electronic insanity the other two participants create and, while the electronic effects dont necessarily create the beautiful landscape of sound which plotkin is usually known for, his angular chords and gorgeous guitar melodies remind one of the playing styles of voivod, godflesh, don caballero, and discordance axis all mixed together.
phantomsmasher is way better though. buy that record too. its the same band.

You just can't predict Plotkin..........2001-11-10

While not horrible, to me this record is disappointing. Disappointing in light of Plotkin's last two major projects, Flux and Joy Of Disease. He's now abandoned his meticulously crafted and structured sound in favor of what sounds akin to Japanese noise rock. Think along the lines of early Boredoms, Ruins, Melt Banana, etc. Very random, very chaotic. I've been following Plotkin since the early days of OLD, and I know he's had a penchant for alienating fans, but this is the first time I've felt alienated by his work. Well, not really "alienated." I mean, I *LIKE* the noise genre, I *LIKE* those bands whose names I dropped. But I had hoped Plotkin would continue on the path he started down with the Formula album. I suppose it was pretty stupid of me to think he'd do that.

For what it is, this is good. I'd give it four stars, but I've got to petulantly express my disappointment somehow.

One of the noisiest bands around!.......2001-09-14

I first heard Atomsmasher when they were opening for Fantomas. I was won over within the first minute. Constant and seemingly random, yet complexly orchestrated noise came from the amplifiers, and all that was taking place on stage was a man sitting at a table with his laptop. I really enjoyed seeing all the jocks who had come to see the drummer from Slayer, get all pist off at these brand new and ingenius sounds that were to radical for their little minds to digest.
Anyways, the sound of Atomsmasher is very noise oriented and still manages to never get boring. If I had to compare it to something I might call it a light hearted version of Merzbow or a modern version of Throbbing Gristle.

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