20.SV

APOCALYPTIC DESERT - REVIEW 03

Review from Gothronic: http://www.gothtronic.com/

Before me I have the ‘new’ work of a Lebanese project called 20.SV, which stands for 20 sieverts and means the level of radioactive contamination. It’s not a completely new release, since it was released on cassette some years ago. Considering the quality of this release it’s a good choice they decided to re-release it on cd. The album title and artwork fits the music very well; it’s all post apocalyptic noise. The album contains one track which lasts almost half an hour. Since the extreme intensity and frequencies, the playtime is perfect.

The noise here is of a very good quality and because of sudden changes in sound it stays interesting all the way though. As said before, because of its intense nature and high pitched sounds, it can be too much for some people; since it’s not just harsh noise, but a mental play with the noise palette.

Here and there is something that resembles a melody, as far as this kind of music can have a melody. But mostly this is pure industrial strength audio torture and I love it!

This cd would make a nice triple bill with Cosmos Entropy’s (a Propergol sideproject) ‘Unknown’ and Land:Fire’s ‘Physical:Mental:Psychological’, since it all deals with atomic bombs and post-apocalyptic sounds in various degrees.

If you don’t like your neighbours, play this one very loud. Recommended, though mostly for noise connoisseurs!

APOCALYPTIC DESERT - REVIEW 02

Review from Judas Kiss Magazine: http://www.judaskissmagazine.co.uk/

20.SV, named after the level of radioactive contamination (20 sieverts) which will cause death in 100% of human subjects within seven days, is the solo noise project of Lebanese musician Xardas, who also records dark ambient under the name Seeker, and who recently released Burning Sigils under his real name, Osman Arabi. Apocalyptic Desert is the third in a projected series of eight 20.SV releases on Autumn Wind Productions, following last year’s Insects and 2006’s Acid Vomit.Human Genocide, which was a re-release of two early cassette demos. (Seeker, Burning Sigils and Insects have also been reviewed by Judas Kiss.)

As with Insects, Apocalyptic Desert is a monolithic, terrifying juggernaut of pulverisingly intense electronic noise. If you’re after a weapon of mass destruction in sonic form, then look no further than this – 20.SV gets the job done nicely, decimating all it touches, taking no prisoners and leaving nothing but radioactive rubble in its wake. Over its 28-minute duration, the track deploys blunt, ugly, low-end rumbles, bestially distorted vocals, ominous purring mid-frequencies and penetratingly shrill, stabbing bursts of high-frequency noise and feedback in a concerted attempt to inflict maximum damage on the listener. There’s a looped fragment of melody, possibly from a highly processed guitar, inserted into the toxic brew as well, but if you’re expecting a nice tune, forget it. You’ll have to whistle it to yourself while waiting for the all-clear to sound. Admirers of extreme projects like Messiah Complex, Grunt and Antracot will probably enjoy 20.SV’s work too – all others should approach with due caution.

Apocalyptic Desert is also monstrously loud. I can testify to this because I was listening to it on the bus yesterday – generally speaking, I need to turn the volume on my CD player up to around 20 on the bus to drown out the engine noise and the loathsome babble of my fellow humanoids, but 20.SV proved more than adequate at the default volume setting of 8. Turning this fucker up to 20 would probably result in haemorrhaging from every orifice and massive organ failure. Apocalyptic Desert comes in a card sleeve, and the first 75 copies include a poster of the cover artwork. There are plans afoot to produce a box to house the first three 20.SV CDs, including Apocalyptic Desert, and the box will include a booklet, poster and stickers. Xardas is calling for visual contributions for the booklet – check out the 20-SV website for more details.

APOCALYPTIC DESERT - REVIEW 01

Review from Absolute Zero Media Webzine: http://azm-magazine.blogspot.com/

 20.SV-Apocalyptic Desert-CD (Autumn Wind Productions)

This my friend is what Industrial is all about there is nothing musical about this !!!. Its one 28 minute track of scrapes, tones, hums, drones, screams and harsh noise all made into a perfect package of angst and reflection. 20.SV is from the Middle east Lebanon an area of the world filled with chaos, war, destruction and sorrow as a daily event and you can clearly hear all of this in this very unsettling release . Apocalyptic Desert is plain and simply a Digital audio nightmare come to life and put out for the world to witness and heed as if were not careful the world could look much like this release sounds I’m not sure which in the end is really all the more frightening. Another Excellent release on Autumn Wind Productions. Do not miss out on any 20.SV or his Seeker side project as they are all worthy or multiple listens…

APOCALYPTIC DESERT - OUT NOW

20.SV 

Apocalyptic Desert 

Out Now

Autumn Wind Productions

20.SV reinvented the standards of extreme music with “Acid Vomit.Human Genocide” and “Insects”. Now, with “Apocalyptic Desert”, 20.SV blasts tsunamis of radioactive sand unto the modern world setting a complete new interpretation of sound and music at its most extreme levels. You may call it harsh stuff or the work of a lunatic but we simply call it the best thing that’s happened to extreme music. The moaning of the world disfigured and scarred from the hand of its host….the drone of the transformation into a desert filled with radiative debris and the realization and birth of a new destructive presence….a new frequency that will disable the human mind and breed a new essence…the birth of an apocalyptic begining. The First 75 copies sold come with an exclusive 12″ x 13″ poster of the cover.