AD319: Cop Funeral - Pain cassette

"Somewhere at the ends of the Earth is the perfect spot to sit down, stare off into the distance, and crank the latest Cop Funeral release on your headphones. Chances are most of us won't have the opportunity to find this spot anytime soon, but we can get to know the sounds in the meantime so we'll know the spot when we find it.

Perhaps the reason the sounds of Pain seem best heard completely removed from the everyday hustle and bustle of the world is because the tones contained herein seem to be a reaction against all that pushes against us day to day. Nothing represented here is the soundtrack to one's daily activities. No, this what it sounds like to escape the social structure, either by transcending it or destroying it.

There are harsh loops of junk electronics which will challenge even the most devout noise fans to stay immersed at full volume, such as on the opening title track. Other moments leave more room to breathe, with slightly more rhythmic and melodic passages careening into gentle oblivion. For instance, the second cut, "Fortune Cookie," features two sustained chords played on the organ which skate along top of a choppy drill and bass pattern; it almost feel likes Joshua Tabbia—Already Dead label head and Cop Funeral's sole permanent member—has remixed "Oh Yeah" by Can to sound like an Aphex Twin cut. Longtime collaborator and label co-founder Sean Hartman provides unsettling saxophone on the fittingly titled "Peptabyssmal," a piece which stares directly into the chasm of despair. The occasional tranquil and reflective moments, like the one-two of "Frances" and "Patricia" for instance, serve as the "A Warm Place" of this ride (see NIN).

This is not a release you can put on casually; Pain demands your full attention, whether you like it or not. Use cautiously, as it is a potent listen. But if you find the right time and place, it's an experience like no other."
- Peter Cook, Already Dead Tapes, 2019