Of the many fondly remembered projects that made up the legendary LA harsh scene in the early to mid-aughts, Moth Drakula was one of the most prolific, putting out close to 30 splits, tapes, CDs, and even a 2xLP on iconic labels Callow God, Troniks, and Chondritic as well as Evan Pacewicz’s own small-batch imprint Swampland. Much like the rest, their fire fizzled around 2006, but after nearly two decades they revealed themselves to be not dead, but simply dormant. For whatever reason—the doldrums of the pandemic, perhaps, or the general feeling of a renewed interest in US noise, which may or may not be the same phenomenon—both members have resumed activity in a big way. Pacewicz helped put together a retrospective Roman Torment 2xCD for Phage and has revitalized Swampland, releasing printed matter as well as new solo work, while Josh Stewart, formerly of Genius Females and Bedrooms, is back at it as Ex Jesus. And, of course, together they’re breathing new life into Moth Drakula, which brings us here to Metal Arcade. Though just a brief 20-minute CD-R, it’s the first comeback material that jumps out as just as good, if not better than their original run. MD always had a sloppier, sleazier sound than their contemporaries, and that’s still the case here: the two pedal-slingers prioritize crudely sandwiched effects and brute-force impact over fidelity and precision (the production, muddy in the best way, helps too). Distortion-drenched samples build tension that is subsequently ripped apart by swipes and slashes. Warm melodic extracts bookend “Mirror Rejection,” the midst of which is overrun by writhing feedback screeches; the white-hot abrasions of “Shut Out and Crushed” drop into a loose-slung hypnosis loop. If you were waiting on an excuse to put in a Swampland order, this is it (plus the Roman Torment discog comp is only $10).
Noise Not Music 