Mika Vainio & Joachim Nordwall

Not exactly known for metal, Touch Records presents this effort by former Pan Sonic member Vainio and iDEAL Recordings founder Nordwall, which is, admittedly, not exactly metal, despite its geologic sounds and track names. The best pieces, such as "Alloy Ceremony" or "Irkutsk," have a drone or pulse that acts as a chamber housing for the ricochet of electronics and metallic objects. Recorded back in 2010, at Einstürzende Neubauten's Berlin studio, certain pieces appear to have absorbed that group's approach to subtle menace so thoroughly you expect wiry Blixa Bargeld vocals to leap out at any second. Vainio's guitar is silvery, slashing through the film of tone, vibraphone and Hammond organ Nordwall projects. In the more placid moments, like on "Praseodymium," the guitar and electronics become more cooperative, recalling Christian Fennesz's earlier idylls. If irrigation and excavation needed musical expression, Monstrance would suffice.