UMUR
"Issei Sagawa" is an EP release by Dutch noise/drone/black metal act Gnaw Their Tongues. The EP was independently released in August 2007. Gnaw Their Tongues was formed in 2005 and is one of many one-man projects by prolific Dutch musician Mories.
"Issei Sagawa" is a 2 track, 9:31 minutes long release. It´s a concept release revolving around infamous Japanese murderer, cannibal, and later TV celebrity "Issei Sagawa". In 1981 while studying in France, Sagawa murdered, committed acts of necrophelia, and finally cannibalized the corpse of female Dutch co-student Renée Hartevelt. In a bizarre turn of events Sagawa was judged to be legally insane and unfit for imprisonment, and therefore was committed to indefinite confinement at an insane asylum. Sagawa´s wealthy father payed an expensive lawyer to run his case, and Sagawa ended up being deported to Japan, where he was released to freedom upon his arrival, and later became a minor TV celebrity by sharing his experiences...the cover artwork makes a bit more sense now, doesn´t it?
So that is the real life tragic story you have to have in mind while listening to the two pieces of noise/drone music on this EP. Some of Gnaw Their Tongues releases feature some black metal parts or at least some metal related sections, but not this EP which is strictly a noise/drone release. Both tracks feature long monotone and eerie droning effects, industrial noises, and voice samples. It´s actually quite an unpleasant listen, and especially the samples of someone making nasty smacking sounds in the end of "White Skin" makes my hair stand on end. It´s just incredibly disgusting...and nausea inducing.
The material is well produced and well performed too, and despite feeling a bit repetitive and one-dimensional, the songwriting is decent too and definitely gets the dread and horror atmosphere right. Mories is a genius at creating exactly this type of claustrophobic and bleak sound. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved...as always enter at your own risk, and don´t say I didn´t warn you...