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PREMIERE: Stream Merdarahta's Latest Electronic Nightmare of Improvised Doom in Full

This Fuck the Facts side project has evolved into a terrifying beast.

Photo courtesy of Merdarahta

It would be more than reasonable if the prolific grind minds behind Fuck the Facts decided to take a breather now and then, but instead, they've chosen to become the literal embodiment of the phrase "no rest for the wicked" (they're all lovely people, but the hellish noise they summon isure sn't!). The Québécois five-piece has kept up a nonstop release schedule since it came together back in 1999, and had only just released a new EP when guitarist Topon Das told me that he and vocalist Mel Mongeon had cooked up yet another new project. As he explained in a recent Noisey interview,

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"Merdarahta started as a B-side of a Fuck The Facts release, but ended up turning into a new project, and yes, the first recordings were four-fifths of Fuck The Facts along with our friend Leigh Newton from The Sun Through A Telescope. Since then it’s become more of a collaborative effort to include members of bands like Winters In Osaka, Black Oak Decline, and even some ex-FTF members. The recordings are based mainly off of improvisation sessions, and it’s really what I see as the opposite of FTF in many ways. It’s a lot more about creating an atmosphere and mood than it is about “riffs." I have a lot of different ideas and releases already lined-up for Merdarahta, so we’ll have to see where it takes us, but I definitely want to keep it dark and more on the experimental side of things."

The band's new album, As The Dark Clouds Swept Away We Could See The Sunset, more than meets that particular goal. Released on Das' own Noise Salvation label, the album whirls within storms of distortion and harsh electronic elements, incorporating pounding doom dirges, raw howls, ghostly clean vocals, and strangely beautiful melodies. It's a lot to take in, but you'll be glad you listened.

CD and digtal versions of the release are currently available for preorder through Noise Salvation, and officially out January 20. Listen to the whole dang thing right here, then give these noisy, Noisey-approved Canucks all your money.

Kim Kelly really loves this band, and is also on Twitter.