Customer Reviews

Cacophony

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Not too many bands can pull off a concept album like this. Incredibly recorded in one 8 hour-or-so session (or so I've heard), this album reflects the band's obsession with HP Lovecraft, but also contains some of the best songs Rudi Peni have ever written.

Every song has something to do with Lovecraft's life or fiction. "Kappa Alpha Tau," for example, refers to a gang of cats HP Lovecraft used to play with. The acronym "K.A.T." was Lovecraft's clever designation for the feline fraternity. The haunting, excellent song "The Only Child" refers to Lovecraft's mother treating the young horror writer as a little girl, going so far as to dress him up in girls' gowns and grow his hair long while cruelly reminding him she had always wanted a girl instead of a boy. And "The Old Man is Not So Terribly Misanthropic," for another example, refers to Lovecraft's transformation from a reactionary supporter of racial eugenics to an advocate of a type of New Deal-ian "aristocratic socialism." Most of the references can be figured out by reading L. Sprague de Camp's authoritative biography of Lovecraft. In fact, I bought a copy of de Camp's Lovecraft: A Biography off Mr. de Camp himself shortly before I bought Cacophony on cassette in 1991 or so, and Cacophony basically plays out like the audio version of that biography. (The cover of my cassette version of Cacophony is a lot different than the CD version here; on the cassette is a Blinko illustration of the Lovecraft character Erich Zann, holding his demonic violin -- a much cooler cover if I do say so myself!)

Often the songs are strung together with spoken word bits: Blinko reciting a critics' condemnation of Lovecraft ("Howard was a twitch, boys and girls, and that's all there is to it!"), making noises intended to make one thing of gibbering shoggoths, a recitation of all the pen names Lovecraft ever used, a list of other authors that inspired Lovecraft (MLR James, Hawthorne, Poe, etc.), a definition of digestive cancer, which ultimately killed Lovecraft... in short, Lovecraft, Lovecraft, Lovecraft!

The music varies from song to song. Stand out tracks include "The Only Child," "Nightgaunts," "The Dead Loved," "Gentlemen Prefer Blood," and "The Old Man is Not So Terribly Misanthropic." Some songs end too quickly, for my taste: "Architectonic and Dominant" is an excellent instrumental that should have kept going for a bit longer, I think! The overall opus is a sprawling, moody, quirky, and slightly insane monstrosity punctuated with bits of speedy punk rock here and there, and slower, more melodic punk rock odes elsewhere.

Not recommended for those new to Peni, unless you are a fan of the bizarre, the weird, or HP Lovecraft, in which case this could very well be just the Peni album to start you off with. The album isn't as accessible as, say, "Death Church," but it has greater artistic merit. This album truly does transcend the genre.

RUDIMENTARY PENI's "Cacophony" album is quite possibly one of the most twistedly-unique, insanely-original punk rock records ever recorded. I hesitate to even call it a punk record, as it goes so far beyond anything else in genre.

Britain's RUDIMENTARY PENI emerged from the early 80's political punk scene that was home to such bands as CRASS, CONFLICT, and FLUX OF PINK INDIANS. The group's beginnings were energetic bursts of dark (but not quite gothic) speed-punk with lyrics dealing with most of the usual lefty issues (vegetarianism, anti-government, anti-religion, anti-big-business). R.P. released two e.p.'s (one on the CRASS label), and an amazing (though slightly slowed-down) LP called "Death Church". All of the bands records featured maniacally intricate pen and ink drawings by singer: Nick Blinko.

After "Death Church" the band went through a long hiatus due to one of the members fight against cancer, and Blinko's mental problems. The group returned in the late 80's with "Cacophony". At the time, no one knew what to make of the record. It was very different from the other R.P. recordings. Punk purists poo-pooed the platter, while more eclectic types recognized the mad genius of the disc.

Basically this record comes across as the ravings of a lunatic and his obsession with writer H.P. Lovecraft. Nearly every lyric sung, spoken, mumbled, or squealed on the record is some form of reference to Lovecraft or one of the writer's works.

Musically, this is RUDIMENTARY PENI's greatest work. There's elements that nod to their earlier songwriting on the first 2 e.p.'s and the "Death Church" album, but there's also post-punk excursions and some poppy sing-along numbers (well, kind of). Nick Blinko's lunatic ramblings tie all of the songs together into a flowing, attention-demanding package of insanity.

"Cacophony" is one of my all time favorite records. I remember it was a bit hard to take when it first came out, because I (like everyone else) was expecting to hear "Death Church 2"... but after repeated listenings (more than 10 years worth now) it is not only my favorite Rudimentary Peni album, but probably one of my top 15 favorite albums ever. I can't do justice to the genius of this record here... you must hear it yourself. It might not catch you on the first listen, but if not, keep at it. It's a mindblower.

'Cacophony' (Released 1988 / 30 Tracks) Released shortly after the EPs of RP, this LP is firmly entrenched in the Lovecraftian mythos; the more you know about H.P. Lovecraft, the more you'll enjoy this outstanding thematic LP. It's also the last LP released in nearly two decades--since Cacophony, RP has released only EPs. If you don't know who H.P. Lovecraft is (what's the matter with you?) the LP is still excellent but many of the lyrics will probably leave you wondering.

If you like cover art, I suggest you try finding Cacophony on vinyl, because it has a different and more interesting cover than this version. When listening to this record I end up listening to whole sides of it at once, because every thing flows together so well. There's hardly any empty space to be found, and the album is full of spoken word ramblings and short tunes. It's a record of sound-bytes, basically, like narrowing a 1,000 page book down to a 30 second commercial. The thing I've found this record lacks for the most part, is songs, and the album doesn't work in the traditional sense of rock. There are a few songs that stand out that can just be listened to as songs, such as Nightgaunts, and Horrors in the Museum, but Cacophony is not song-oriented enough for me to give it 5 stars. I do recommend it, however, because it is great to listen to, if you have time on your hands.

Rudimentary Peni's best album! Such wonderful art. Very original, very dark, with shakespearean type vocals and lovely poetic lyrics on such topics as depression, death, hearses, coffins, suicide, etc. Vocalist, Nick Blinko, has portrayed himself as "dressed entirely in black... on the darker, Gothic side of Romantic", and the band as "Gothic". Why they are being promoted as an Anarchy punk band is beyond me. The First Wave Gothic sound was rather punky, but alot more atmosphere than punk had, and there is no doubt that Rudi Peni didn't sound similiar to punk, but as Nick Blinko said, Rudimentary Peni were a Gothic band.

Shard is my favorite song off the album til this day. I can't wait to hear what Rudi Peni have instore for the new album entitled "The Underclass".

-Tommy Demise

This is the best they have put out. Unlike their later stuff this album is a mass of words and music and interesting bits inbetween songs. It is a concept album of sorts in that it revolves around H P Lovecraft. If you like that sort of thing this is great , although this is not for the easily confused. Nick Blinko is a shining star in the outsider art scene so the albums always have great graphics to go along with great music.

This album is as boring as H.P. lovecraft's short stories. Zenophobia and Better not Born being the two songs I consider worth a listen.

Having experienced much of Rudimentary Peni's earlier work, this proved quite a pleasant diversion from it. The urgent, hard, driving, scream-filled short songs you're expecting aren't here in abundance. They're slightly more muted in tone for the most part, without the conventional song structures. The tracks are really audio vignettes that can be played in almost any order, without harming the experience of the album.

It is as if they went back in time to the dawn of punk, when punk was anything you wanted it to be. When you dressed how you felt, perhaps in chains, or saran wrap, instead of dressing like your friends. No conventions. No rules. Just the idea. Make noise. It's quick! It's easy! GO TO IT!

What you are left with is possibly one of the most exceptional punk record experiences you've heard in a long time. Not the go-to-space acid-trip variety, but a listening experience that is both compelling, interesting, and absorbing. It just may take you two or three listens before you realise just how utterly great Cacaphony is!

The first time I ever heard this album,back around 1990,I thought 'What the hell is this?', then it grew on me like an evil green fungus.

Every song on this album has to do with H.P. Lovecraft,who wrote really twisted science fiction/horror stories. These aren't really songs as much as they are snippets from the life of Lovecraft.From his living situation,his aunt's attic,to the subject of his stories this album covers it all.

If you love bass heavy punk and Lovecraft then this album is for you.

Harder-faster-deeper-an elaborate rant with some of the heaviest music ever recorded. Powerful psychedelic hardcore.