Knut

Knut

Alter

[4/5] Knut should be worshiped like gods. Their brand of stripped-down, mechanistic post-hardcore has been amply showcased on three albums (Bastardiser, Challenger and Terraformer) and a self-titled EP. Lately, though, they’ve taken a turn toward ambient experimentalism, as evidenced by the dominance of instrumentals on Terraformer, and now, on a remix album, celebrating the band’s 10th year of existence. Some expected kindred spirits (Dälek, Jesu’s Justin Broadrick) turn up, as do some surprise fans (Francisco Lopez, Oren Ambarchi). Some of these reworkings are brilliant-Lopez’s, for example, revisits the concept behind his Untitled 104 album, layering breakdowns from various Knut tracks into an epic poem of pummeling. Others, like Mick Harris’s disappointing collage of programmed drums, barely acknowledge the source material at all. But still, Knut fans-especially those down with the experimentalism heard on Terraformer-will dig this. Everyone else should pick up the band’s back catalog first, lest this seem merely baffling and obscure. (HYDRA HEAD) Phil Freeman

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