GRIDFAILURE/
INTERSTITIA
GRIDFAILURE & INTERSTITIA "Sunyata Ontology"
By Dr. Abner Mality
In the realm of electronic/industrial soundscapes, it's hard to find more of a workhorse than GRIDFAILURE. Hardly a month goes by without some new project or collaboration by Dave Brenner, the sole force of GRIDFAILURE. This time he's hooked up with INTERSTITIA, a solo project of Graham Scala, who is part of the noisy hardcore band BLEACH EVERYTHING and the much more ambient HARMONIC CROSS.
"Sunyata Ontology" is a deep dive into a shadowy world of covert operations, unauthorized technology and a general feeling of high tech unease. Dystopia is a very popular subject for projects such as these and why not, because we are already there. This is the sound of AI run amuck and manipulated by CIA spooks. It's hard to tell where GRIDFAILURE's contributions end and INTERSTITIA's begins, so smoothly is the integration of the separate talents.
Although the ominous feeling is constant, there is great variation between the tracks and that makes this a more interesting listen. "Call of the Black Hand" is driving and aggressive, merging hard beats with metallic clangor like sheet metal being beaten by hammers. In contrast, "Atomic Priesthood" is looser and more atmospheric. This contrast between propulsive beats and more diffuse noise and ambience is the defining characteristic of the album. Occasionally angry roars appear, but this is a mostly instrumental workout.
I haven't come close to hearing all of GRIDFAILURE's collaborations but I can tell you this is one of the best and most coherent of them.