malsonus.com : ANGEL OF DECAY reviews

Reviews of ANGEL OF DECAY - Covered in Scars (Desolation House / Relapse 2005):

WORM GEAR MAGAZINE 9.5.05:
Angel of Decay is a another project from Jonathan Canady, the man behind the now defunct Dead World and Deathpile projects among others. This time Canady is focusing his energy on creating evocative Dark Ambient using minimal analog gear, and that's exactly what he has done. The premise for the album is drawn from his own experience with nightmares, and there are liner notes included that state all text was written down upon being awoken from these nightmares. This accompanied by the gorgeous and unique artwork set a fitting table to begin. "Blood On The Cement" opens the disc, it's a subtle slowly shifting groan of deep bass and sweeping wisps of electronics. "Severed Living Dog's Head" is the next track and provides the first bit of grime into the equation with a throbbing pulse and pained, yowling reverberations. There is a chained agony to the sounds, which probably sounds melodramatic, but really to hear it that is all I can picture. The slow throb providing a steady base to these tormented creaks and swells it's so visual, and acute, its curious to see the brief liner notes for the track state simply, "Severed living dog's head, I was careful not to hurt the stump. It seemed happy." The shortest track here at just over 5 minutes is "Sick Time Frame" which is up next. This track uses a more subdued and wind swept approach, deep rumbles and swells, heavy low end and a surreal sort of accent with mid and higher ranged bubbling electronics. "The Crash" is the longest piece at almost 14 minutes. The anticipation that builds through this track is handled so well. The subtlety and ease of transitions and the cautious restraint as things build and contract. The premise here is one of seeing a helicopter crash and the aftermath when the pilots are alright, but the citizens crushed beneath are not, the text contains more details that are intriguing. "Her Head Was On The Floor," lurches to life with a deep slow swell, that rises and falls through out the track among lots of creaking metallic reverberations and boiler hisses. There are smooth high tones that sweep through and give a nice balance to the abyssal lows. "JFK Circus", "Face Print" one of the dreary highlights here, and the title track round out the release. This whole record has a richness of tone and a tangible dread that encompasses everything within it. Reading the liner notes quickly puts a context to the sounds you are hearing whether abstract or concrete. It is such a visual album that without those notes it would fill your head with images of something equally unsettling. There is nothing obvious in the sonics that frames the imagery in the text either, it's a very open to interpretation undertaking that doesn't dictate anything to the listener and truly feels like an record you could lose yourself in if you take the time out of your day to give it the proper attention. This is a great release, and the inclusion of the liner notes is something I personally really appreciate as it's rare to get that kind of insight into this kind of music, particularly when it's something this personal. I have heard just about all of Jonathan Canady's output over the years and "Covered In Scars" may well be my favorite.
- Scott Candey

The Journal Review (Indiana) 9.2.05:
Here's an interesting concept: Write down your nightmares immediately upon waking, then record ominous music to accompany it.

This is the impetus behind "Covered in Scars," a concept album by Jonathan Canady (formerly of such experimental noise projects like Deathpile and Torture Chamber) and the seventh installment in the Desolation House series on Relapse Records. It's a collection of dark, ambient instrumental music, and "Covered in Scars" fits the bill perfectly.

It's like an hour-plus bad omen, warping the senses with a spectral forest of oppressive gloom. Utilizing old analog keyboards, Canady suffuses sickeningly tumid notes and desolate vortexes to slowly build a convincing shroud of fear. Other sequences of sound approach a nether world of tormented souls. It's not exactly tailored for a horror movie - don't expect any waylaying surprises around the corner - but that doesn't diminish the pallor Canady so meticulously creates.

Don't forget the actual insensate torment through which this music is inspired. We get twisted tales featuring septic arm wounds, mafia torture, bloody helicopter crashes and graphic movies come to life, under titles like "Blood on the Cement" and "Her Head Was on the Floor."

No one ever said the subconscious is pretty. Now with "Covered in Scars," you officially have a soundtrack to your nightmares.
- Wade Coggeshall

Vital Weekly #490 9.1.05:
A while ago I reviewed a CDR by The Urge Within, aka Jonathan Canady who is otherwise known as Deathpile, but recorded before as Dead World and Torture Chamber. Deathpile exists since 1995, but in 2002 Canady started the project called Angel Of Decay for his more darker shaped electronics and less noise based electronics. He uses 'vintage analog synths and other out of date equipment using very primitive methods', which is something that is not very present in these recordings. His darker alley music takes the best of Cold Meat Industry's death ambient, adds maybe a little more reverb, some chilling sounds, some Lustmord and the parameters are set to 'deep', 'down' and 'dark'. Newness or innovation is certainly not something that is can labeled to this CD, but Canady executes his stuff with care and detail. Sounds move in and out like under-worldly plate tectonics, with small collisions all along. Probably not the most pleasing music around, but most definitely the better soundtrack to your home made horror movie.
- Frans de Waard