In what might be the most explicitly evocative record of the year, Hissing's Permanent Destitution captures the sonic equivalent of overwhelming nausea unlike any other. From production to style, Hissing appear dead-set on deterring listeners, and for most that will likely be the case, but for those masochists who can bear the grating disgust of Hissing's sound, there is some sublime filth to be had here.
There is a unity in putridity throughout Permanent Destitution, as every song is consistent with the blended sewage bile of strings and vocals that often merge into a singular stream of sound. Hissing seem to actively avoid groove and traditional hooks, opting for a harrowing and disorientating assault akin to a band like Portal, but with an even dirtier, more malignant atmosphere that often slows to a dismal crawl, channelling the utter hopelessness of Primitive Man.
Hissing play with the abstract in utilizing dissonant chords that, at first listen, defy all logic to instil a feeling of dizzying horror, which only builds on the overall construct of anti-form that Hissing have perfected. This style is only exacerbated by the production of the guitar and bass, whose strings sound curdled and ripe with disease, allowing "Pablum Abundance" to get under the skin like a parasite, or "It Without More" to simulate a dizzying stomach virus.
By virtue of its style, Permanent Destitution isn't the most varied collection, as many can easily blend into a singular pool of sonic diarrhoea. But the album demands many repeat listens to fully appreciate its intricacies through the murk, and if you're willing to endure it, it's a treat. In a scene that is becoming increasingly obsessed with the use of power electronics and noise to make them sound heavier, Hissing use it minimally, allowing their songwriting to do the rest, while exacting the same feeling of discomfort and dark surrealism.
(Profound Lore)There is a unity in putridity throughout Permanent Destitution, as every song is consistent with the blended sewage bile of strings and vocals that often merge into a singular stream of sound. Hissing seem to actively avoid groove and traditional hooks, opting for a harrowing and disorientating assault akin to a band like Portal, but with an even dirtier, more malignant atmosphere that often slows to a dismal crawl, channelling the utter hopelessness of Primitive Man.
Hissing play with the abstract in utilizing dissonant chords that, at first listen, defy all logic to instil a feeling of dizzying horror, which only builds on the overall construct of anti-form that Hissing have perfected. This style is only exacerbated by the production of the guitar and bass, whose strings sound curdled and ripe with disease, allowing "Pablum Abundance" to get under the skin like a parasite, or "It Without More" to simulate a dizzying stomach virus.
By virtue of its style, Permanent Destitution isn't the most varied collection, as many can easily blend into a singular pool of sonic diarrhoea. But the album demands many repeat listens to fully appreciate its intricacies through the murk, and if you're willing to endure it, it's a treat. In a scene that is becoming increasingly obsessed with the use of power electronics and noise to make them sound heavier, Hissing use it minimally, allowing their songwriting to do the rest, while exacting the same feeling of discomfort and dark surrealism.