Reviews – MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL

Aspect Noir Chaos Reigns cassette

This cassette from Cintas Taciturnas is a re-release of Finnish band ASPECT NOIR’s full-length originally released as a 12″ by the band in 2021. This cassette contains all the darkwave post-punk that ASPECT NOIR epitomizes and is beautifully printed and packaged. If you like moody, gothic sounds that feel as icy as a grave, then you’ll want to check this out. This eight-song album captures melancholic emotions while maintaining a sense of dignity like a phoenix from the flames. Lina’s vocals are haunting as they sing lyrics with a clarity that makes it impossible to miss the themes. For me, “Mean Again” is a standout song, as the message is something we can all find relatable at times.

Extraña Misión Ensayos 1988 cassette

Short-lived darkwave band out of Lima, Peru—this compilation of scarce recordings was put together on a 2002 GJ Records CD by the same name. Twenty years later, Cintas Taciturnas has put out the same comp on cassette, and thus the importance of reissuing continues! The audio quality is actually pretty good, so that you don’t miss the wandering, left-to-right vocals, the rambly, jabby guitars, farty bass, and almost new wave dance-y drums. “Absimos de Senitmientos” fits in that latter dance-y category, while tracks like opener “La Extraña Misión” are colder and more grating. If you’re looking for some obscure ‘80s darkwave, search no further.

Maldita Existencia Demo 2022 cassette

Two songs from Chilean synth-punkers MALDITA EXISTENCIA. Knowing this comes from Cintas Taciturnas, this demo sounds like it’s paying homage to EXRAÑA MISIÓN’s Ensayos 1988 which the label re-released last year, and they do a great job. Big, reverbed synth with matching high-octave bass, like you’d find in a JOY DIVISION intro, with jumpy drums and a clean, wandering guitar line. The vocals stay steady, almost spoken, and don’t achieve a huge range, but combined with the instrumentation, this really works.

Parasomnia Vigilia cassette

Debut release Vigilia by Chilean band PARASOMNIA is a captivating journey into the realms of dark post-punk. Sung in Spanish, the album carries an air of mystique that draws listeners into its hauntingly atmospheric world. PARASOMNIA masterfully weaves together intricate guitar melodies, pulsating bass lines, and ethereal moods to create a sonic landscape that is simultaneously melancholic and enchanting. The interplay of these elements forms the foundation for their sound, an approach similar to DECIMA VICTIMA. Whether you’re a seasoned enthusiast or a newcomer, this album offers a rich and immersive sonic journey that lingers long after the final chords and whispers fade away.

Radio Siniestra Radio Siniestra cassette

Here’s a femme-fronted darkwave/post-punk group out of Chile, with what appears to be their first release? While I couldn’t find much on the group, they were recorded in Valparaíso, and picked up by the Santiago-based Cintas Taciturnas, while also releasing cassettes on Comidillo out of Berlin, Germany. The Comidillo Bandcamp page has a mystical write-up on the band…or what the band may mean to you as a listener, or something? Opening with “Who are RADIO SINIESTRA? Most can’t tell, unless you’re there.” Not shitting on it here—it’s a darkly painted canvas of an angular, crusty sound, mixed with bright spots of anarchic joy portraying this seven-song cassette. For avid listeners of MRR Radio, you probably heard the album opener “Sombras Marinales” on Erika’s episode #1883. For fans of anything in those “marginal shadows,” this is a must-listen.