Mark Corcoran-Lettice discovers the formidable new release from Pharmakon
Sacred Bones Records
Released: 30.08.19
As one of the more renowned modern-day practitioners of noise and experimental electronics, Margaret Chardiet’s work as Pharmakon arrives to a level of anticipation but also scepticism rare for artists working in this field.
Her fourth album Devour (following Bestial Burden and Contact: nice to see someone keeping the old Morbid Angel album-naming convention alive) places her distorted vocals firmly in front for an album that shifts subtly from the body horror thematic of her past work to a wider-ranging critique of late capitalist decay and social self-destruction.
With the album’s five tracks forming two loose suites, there’s far more of a live, in-your-face feeling (especially on the sluggish blown-out rhythms of furious highlight Deprivation) to Devour that makes it her most formidable statement yet.
