Alright, let’s dive into Cupid Mount Etna by Gentle Veincut. This 1995 noise rock gem from Germany is one of those albums that doesn’t just sit in the background—it grabs you by the ears and shakes you till you pay attention. Released on Hazelwood Records and Loopturn (or was it Looptown? Labels can be so messy), this thing screams ‘90s alternative chaos with a side of weirdness.
First off, the lineup: Volkan T on bass, Jinx Moribundo smashing the drums like he’s got something to prove, Monsieur Hybrid shredding guitar riffs that sound like they’re melting mid-air, and Moksha + She-Dog trading vocal duties like it’s a chaotic game of hot potato. Oh, and DJ Mahmut? Dude’s not just spinning records—he’s throwing in effects and guest appearances like confetti at a punk wedding. Recorded by Gordon Friedrich and Onkel, the production has that raw, unpolished vibe that makes you feel like you’re right there in the room as everything falls apart beautifully.
Now, let’s talk tracks because nobody wants to read about every single song unless you're writing some kinda encyclopedia entry. Two songs stuck out for me: “Atrophy” and “Spacebar.”
“Atrophy” hits hard right outta the gate. It's like someone took a rusty sledgehammer and swung it straight at your brain—but in a good way, y’know? The guitars are all over the place but somehow still groove-heavy, while the vocals alternate between snarling and haunting. There’s this moment halfway through where everything drops out except for these eerie whispers and faint scratching noises. Feels like walking through an abandoned building late at night—creepy but kinda thrilling too.
Then there’s “Spacebar,” which might as well come with a warning label: “May cause involuntary headbanging.” This track is relentless, man. Like, imagine if your favorite arcade game suddenly exploded into a wall of distorted riffs and pounding drums. That opening riff hooks you immediately, and before you know it, you’re nodding along even though you probably look ridiculous doing it. And props to DJ Mahmut here—his turntable work adds this extra layer of insanity that keeps things interesting without going full-on DJ overload.
Other standout tunes include “Pink Crack,” which sounds exactly how its title suggests (wildly unpredictable) and “Twist And Smile,” which feels like a twisted carnival ride gone wrong in the best possible way. But honestly, the whole album flows together like one big chaotic experiment. You never quite know what’s coming next, and that unpredictability is part of the charm.
So yeah, Cupid Mount Etna isn’t gonna win any Grammys or whatever—they weren’t really aiming for that anyway. What they did instead was create this wild, untamed beast of a record that feels more alive than most stuff getting pumped out today. If you’re into music that challenges you, pushes boundaries, and occasionally punches you in the face sonically, then this is worth checking out.
Oh, and here’s a random thought to leave you with: I bet if Mount Etna could make music, it’d sound a lot like this album. Loud, messy, and totally unforgettable.
