Vatican Shadow

As Prurient, Dominick Fernow has risen to the forefront of the American underground noise scene, yet Through the Window (his latest release under that moniker) found him exploring the ritualistic repetition of dark techno, with much success. Trotting alongside the Prurient project for a few years now has been another of Fernow's auspicious identities: Vatican Shadow. With a spate of ultra-limited releases that have become increasingly accomplished over time, Remember Your Black Day is Fernow's most ambitious Vatican Shadow effort yet. Taking cues from Through the Window, the LP (released on Fernow's Hospital Productions) imbues dark, ambient textures with techno-industrial rhythms. With its politically charged song titles (i.e., "Saddam Walks Amidst Ruins"), Fernow's latest missive could be mistaken for a muted battle cry. However, there's something lacking in this collection of tracks: a counterpoint to the darkened atmosphere to prevent Remember Your Black Day from coming across as just another example of weak-willed EBM.