"I can't even start to count the releases Steve Davis from Love Earth Music put out this year. I had no idea he was so productive with his label and creating his music. Ever since I started writing for Vital Weekly, I am always looking forward to a new package because there is always something that triggers the happy knob inside my mind. And this time, it's this one: A collaboration between Jim Szudy, a.k.a Fellahaen from Cleveland. I honestly hadn't heard of him before, but he did/does projects with, amongst others, Merzbow and Steve Makita (Lockweld), with whom he forms Apartment 213 and now Steve Davis of +DOG+ fame.

In the past years, I got to know Steve a bit (Hey Steve!), so I'm curious what this collaboration will bring. Even though I will be left entirely in the dark as to who did what and who collaborated with who, does it matter? Fellahaen is said to be "a subterranean industrial noise project revelling in decay and collapse. Harsh noise, low droning, metal scraping, and ear gouging is prevalent throughout his work." And +DOG+ has so many different styles under his belt that the outcome is probably loud, in your face and well thought of sound wise. The self-titled album has 14 tracks and lasts for almost an hour. The longest track is nine minutes, shorter just under 90 seconds. The artwork does fit perfectly with the description of Fellaheen's music when it comes to 'industrial, decay and collapse'. It has a great atmosphere visually. So, let's get into this!

The opening track, "Simplicity", ruins your ears to begin with. When playing music and the first track is a 'slow opener' I usually choke on the volume setting, having to put it down at later, louder tracks. Here, it's easy. Start loud, set the volume to your wishes and enjoy the ride. THAT is simplicity for you. It's a promising opener for the remainder.

It's an hour later, and I forgot to write individual notes on the tracks. How is this possible? The album is indeed as loud as I thought, but the patterns are hypnotising, to say the least. Some tracks are a bit more droney than loud ("Furniture of my Mind", "Restore", "Mechanical Dream"), others are entirely erratic and have sudden movements in sound that should wake you up if it was done by others ("Complexit", "Our Friends"). But here, it's all fitting somehow. There are moments of harsh noise, sound design, and a few beautiful moments where it's more experimental. I hope there will be more of this duo in due time."-Bauke van der Wal, Vital Weekly