Punch Inc. and Tzolk´in new releases on Ant-Zen

Punch Inc.. “Fightclub” cd. ant-zen. act209
the bielefeld based live / studio project punch inc. was founded in august 2000. both protagonists, a. brinkert and a. glöckner are equally responsible for synthesizer, sampling and programming (both have played in various projects since 1992). A. glöckner (aka moctan) experimented with electronic dance music and supported local industrial projects like ars moriendi, asche, morgenstern and monokrom, while a. brinkert (aka bipol) achived recognition as an innovative bass player and sound constructor with klang, womp and templegarden’s. During various sessions both generated the idea to merge these musical outputs into a collective venture. Since the beginning the name punch inc. has stood for hard, intransigent and propulsive industrial that is supported by tribalistic and technoid beats. The mercilessness of an industrial civilization is punch inc’s main influence, and they always place an emphasis on the rhythmic overkill. Fightclub: a visualization of the fate of most everyday humans: struggle for assertiveness, combat the inner and outer predator, fight - not for the chance of winning but for survival. Fightclub: machines designed for personal wars, emitting dense, grinding soundwalls that are wedged into never ending beat pulses. fightclub: mankind’s biggest enemy is shutdown and here are eleven arms to make you move onward… if this album doesn’t make you roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty then you need to check your pulse!

available: 12february2k8

Tzolk’in. “Haab’” cd. ant-zen. act210
Tzolk’in is a collaboration between Empusae and Flint Glass - artists who are known in the fields of dark ambient, contemporary ritualistic tribal music and experimental electronica. This project is a conceptual creation inspired by mayan mythology and the ancient mayan astrological calendar of the same name. From the beginning their approach to sound resulted in quite a few novel musical perspectives: the merging of empusae’s distinct dark, oppressive and brooding soundscapes and Flint Glass’s characteristic rhythmic and ambient compositions (which are seemingly subject to an almost alien purpose and theme). The final product is majestic and epic, often martial and bellicose, with a sense of tragedy that at times is even quite meditative. Tzolk’in can easily be viewed as an exotic soundtrack to the phantoms of a dead civilization or more simply put, music that is inspired by a doomed mayan divination system. On their first self-titled release, Empusae and Flint Glass chose eight periods of the tzolk’in calendar and on Haab’ they describe eight periods of the mayan solar year. Ceremonious, deep tones merge with the power and strength of industrial music - kept together by elaborate impulsive ritual rhythms that enhance the atmosphere of a flourishing culture. An abyssal, haunting cycle of tribal sound, constructed so that the listener can dive into a bygone era.
Packaging: gatefold-sleeve special black cardboard w/ golden print.

available: 19february2k8
http://www.ant-zen.com