PBK - "Shadows Of Prophecy/In His Throes" CD 1994 (ND)

SHADOWS OF PROPHECY | PBK (bandcamp.com)

IN HIS THROES | PBK (bandcamp.com)

"Readers of Godsend should no doubt have heard my countless words of praise for this exceptional modern composer whose raw, evocative sound manipulations are easily more interesting than better-known peers like The Hafler Trio. PBK's electronic sculpturings are organic in feel, falling far from the often-mechanical/technical shortcomings of similar artists. PBK successfully manipulates/redesigns sounds, both natural and synthetic, creating entirely new universes, with each track distinctive and uniquely personal. Alien soundtracks teeming with life. Excellent and well-recommended." (Godsend)

"I was quite surprised to learn that this isn’t a recent release; in fact this was the second release of PBK’s music on the Texan ND label in 1994. Although he describes this album on his website as uncompromising, it seems to be more in the vein of abstracted, disarticulated and deconstructed noise, along with ripples and sharp scattershot explosions, and not the unimaginative senses-nullifying jet-engine blast that I initially thought it would be. No indeed, here we have some very cleverly constructed tapestries and tableaux of freezing cold malignity and purgatorial heat – one imagines that Torquemada would have been quite at home here. Klingler hasn’t just edited sounds together haphazardly; there’s an unnervingly calculated feeling about this, guaranteed to elicit deep despair, revulsion, biliousness and disquiet on every level.
This CD isn’t, as initial impressions would indicate, two separate albums put onto one disc – in actuality it’s one single piece divided into two movements, which are further subdivided into seven and six tracks respectively. Unlike many noise artists PBK isn’t afraid of roping in hints of other genres in order to perfectly encapsulate his vision; we have swatches of dark ambient (for instance the grind of wheels and milling voices of ‘Fly and Cross’), Eno-esque ambience mixed with disembodied screech and pattering (‘Open the Circle’), the looped musique-concrète of ‘Wind-licked Flames’, the monolithic engine aesthetic of ‘The System’, the glacial ambient crackling of ‘Mind Inflamed’ and the minimalist poppings and cracker detonations of torment. His sheer range exemplifies the utter craftsmanship with which he has put this together – moreover there’s a natural intelligence at work here that some would consider to be bordering on supernatural intuition, every element falls easily into its allotted place and every sound is well-chosen for its ability to summon forth the correct atmosphere and ambience.
Above all what you come away with from this is deep and unutterable isolation, an existence where pain, sorrow and paranoia are everyday companions – there is no light here, in fact there never has been light and there never will be either. This is a vision of the deepest and most unpleasant level of Hell, where the greatest punishment is not consignment to the flames but sentenced to an eternity of abject and cold loneliness; and not just physical loneliness but complete spiritual separation and isolation, a dark place where one’s soul could wander for all time and still not meet another. This is the greatest fear of the living that we will live and die without the essential contact of others like us; how much more keenly is it felt by those restless ghosts whose earthly bodies have left the source of warmth and solace. Furthermore, if there is any promise that’s been made here, it is that this is the destination for us all, saint and sinner alike, and that no matter how much praying and gnashing of teeth is performed, nothing’s going to change, so get used to it. Freezingly cold and deeply pessimistic and more to the point uncompromisingly so, just like the man said.... and that’s exactly how I like it." (Heathen Harvest)

"Why do listen to something else when PBK exists??? Impossible to render all atmosphere within and thoughts coming during the process. PBK deals with ambient noise and industrial concreteness covered under entirely unbearing sonic outbursts. Nearly to 70 minutes around music are testing the possibility of human limits. All 13 things are supported by electronic and exclusively instrumental. Free your mind and let the noise manipulate it. As strong as can't be imagined, so take care..." (Calmant)