Album Review: 023 by III – A Sonic Assault You Won’t Forget (Even If You Try)
Let’s cut to the chase. 023 by III isn’t your grandma’s playlist unless your grandma happens to be a chainsaw-wielding anarchist with a taste for chaos. Released in 2015 under France’s La Série Noire label, this Harsh Noise Wall album doesn’t so much “play” as it attacks. And honestly? That’s what makes it unforgettable.
The genre itself—Electronic, but more specifically Harsh Noise Wall—isn’t exactly known for subtlety. It’s like someone took all the static from a broken TV, added industrial-grade grinding, and then cranked it up until your ears started bleeding confetti. But hey, if you’re into that sort of thing (and I clearly am), this album delivers.
Now let’s zoom in on two tracks that stuck with me—not because they were pleasant, but because they felt like an exorcism for my brain cells.
First up: RAW051. This one opens with what can only be described as the sound of a robot having an existential crisis mid-explosion. The layers of distortion pile on top of each other like bad decisions at 3 AM. By the time you realize you’ve been listening to it for six minutes straight, you’re either deeply unsettled or weirdly zen. Personally, I found myself staring blankly at a wall, wondering if walls have feelings too.
Then there’s RAW052, which might as well be titled “Your Eardrums vs. A Blender.” There’s something oddly hypnotic about how relentless it is. It’s not just noise—it’s noise with attitude. Like, imagine if noise could flip you off while wearing leather jackets. That’s RAW052 in a nutshell. Halfway through, I swear I heard what sounded like distant screams—or maybe that was just my soul trying to escape.
As for RAW050…well, it’s fine. Not gonna lie, it kinda blends into the background after the first two tracks melt your face off. Still solid though!
So why does 023 stand out? Maybe it’s because it refuses to hold your hand. It doesn’t care if you “get” it. It exists to challenge, to provoke, to make you question why you even pressed play in the first place. In a world full of cookie-cutter beats and overproduced pop anthems, III reminds us that music can still be raw, ugly, and gloriously unapologetic.
Final thought: If aliens ever invade Earth, we should blast this album at them. Either they’ll surrender immediately, or they’ll politely ask us to turn it down. Either way, victory!
