On August 22, 2022, ANNIHILVS celebrates our 25th anniversary with a new digital EP by NAVICON TORTURE TECHNOLOGIES. The first new release since the project was officially ended in 2009, and the first material recorded with original collaborator Scott "Solitude" Walker since 1998.
Featured here is a video for the NTT track MON PETIT ANGE, alongside promotional materials for DEEP BURIAL, the new split cassette by UK noise artists PRIOR and GROT, as well as video flyers for the APEX XXV live event taking place on September 2 at MAYDAY in Providence, Rhode Island, and the CLOISTER RECORDINGS/FRINGE RECORDS DOMINION OF FLESH USA festival on September 3-4 at THE KINGSLAND in Brooklyn, New York.
Additionally, we have included the music video created by Lee Bartow/THEOLOGIAN for ORATORIO I from the newly-released MONO STATOS cassette by DODSSANG TEMPEL for DEATHBED TAPES, and a promo for the forthcoming cassette edition of PEOPLE ARE WEAK THEY DESERVE PAIN by THEOLOGIAN on Australian label CIPHER PRODUCTIONS.
The programme rounds out at nearly 30 minutes of distorted visuals and heavy electronics.
"MON PETIT ANGE is a song with lyrics written in the summer of 1997, during a tumultuous time in my life as a 26 year old boy (and I do mean boy), following the suicide of a friend's father and the end of a four year relationship. ANNIHILVS was established this same summer by a group of young 20-something suburban weirdos with an obsession for industrial music and metal. Reflecting on the excessive dramas in my younger incarnations, I admit I have a lot to be ashamed of. This video is a contemporary look at how poorly I saw myself back then, something I continue to struggle with at the age of 51."
- Lee "Leech" Bartow, August 21, 2022
"Back in the summer of 2020, I must admit it felt very nostalgic revisiting all the NTT cassette masters I had unearthed in a box that had been stored away in a closet for over 20 years. I had completely forgotten about them. Once I decided to dive in feet first, remaster and digitize all the cassettes, I just had to reconnect with Lee and share them with him. There was so much material it was completely overwhelming. But I was immediately brought right back to those years from 1996 to1997 when Lee and I recorded a ton of music together in such a brief period. Our creative output was impressive and listening back, I realized what a freeing experience creatively the whole thing was for me personally. Lee had taught me to just go for it and the chemistry was perfect. After spending years in and out of various hardcore and post hardcore heavy bands throughout the early to mid 90’s, I could finally just create sounds and sonic landscapes that were both beautiful and terrifying at the same time. You can hear all that previously unreleased material remastered by Lee and myself back in 2020 on NTT.PHASE 01 Archive 1997. There are 38 tracks and almost 8 hours of material. Pretty insane. At the time of that release, we briefly discussed the possibility of creating new material, but the idea quickly came and went. Earlier this year, I knew the 25th Anniversary of the ANNIHILVS label was fast approaching and asked Lee what he thought about creating new NTT material for a release. He was on board, and I immediately started to explore what recent material I had that I could send to him. I ended up sending Lee a couple of guitar drones and ambient recordings I had done using a violin bow on my guitar through a Marshall half stack ala my idol Jimmy Page. They were multi tracked and layered heavily with effects and atmospheric ambience. Several weeks later Lee sent me a track he had created and produced using them. MON PETIT ANGE was born. I had goosebumps right away when listening to it for the first time as I never thought there would be new NTT material. I could tell Lee was excited too. I then sent him another track that was a little more aggressive that I had created late last year using various electronics, samples, and tape manipulation. Once again, a new track was sent back from Lee, and it was just as formidable. I was also excited that Lee had chosen to keep the title I had produced for the track, STENCH OF FAILURE. I hope you all enjoy these two tracks as much as I do. They were very fulfilling to help create and are ultimately a tribute to my friend Lee, his unrelenting pursuit of putting music and art into the world, and his dedication to the ANNIHILVS label for the last 25 years. Cheers!"
- Scott “Solitude” Walker, August 6, 2022
