This is the new Northern star blinding us with its icy light: a true active project dedicated to the underground media with a label, an excellent zine & all the more 2 projects: Grunt (ultra-violent power electronics) & Alchemy of the 20th Century (ambient). The label produced very ltd items, see the full list here after, as well as reviews. The last 2 releases from FA are Ep both limited to 300 copies from TAINT "Harming Obsession" & GRUNT "Welfare". If you don’t already got F.A.zine #12 you should better order it right now! Here’s the interview of Mikko the new herald of SUOMI.

-My motivation is high interest in quality noise / power electronics. There is no real reason why name of the 'zine is same as label. And why some of the bands included are bands that have done records for Freak Animal is simply because I interview the ones that interests me and I release records for same reason, it naturally links these two together. I am not really "self promotion". Freak Animal is not really made for promoting my label or own bands.

What are you future plans?

Since Freak Animal is small label, release dates tend to change depending on my personal financial situation. Some plans have been changed (like Lps will be Cds...). Latest releases have been Strom.ec "Dogs of Total Order" CD in 2000 and after it; came four 7"s, by: Taint, Order, Grunt and Pain Nail. Freak Animal will continue supporting Finnish bands in future. Now sold out V/A "Degenerating Finland" CD got very good responses like all Finnish p.e./noise releases recently. In plans there are LP's by: Pain Nail, Clinic Of Torture, Nicole 12, Neurocomponent (Strom.ec's noisy side-project), Skin Graft,... All from Finland and will be manufactured 100-200 copies each! Future CD's will include Nicole 12/Taint "Candyman" collaboration CD and more... There are some foreign bands going to be released, like Irikarah and Survival Unit. Freak Animal has done also some CDr's, from Grunt, Barrikad (swe), Clinic of Torture and in future there will be re-releases of some Streicher (Australia) tapes as well as old Grunt tape materials!

Freak Animal magazine was re-born, when together with KAOS KONTROL label boss Jukka Mattila, I started to do magazine called DEGENERATE. It's same style what Freak Animal used to be, but better! 1st issue out and 2nd one planned for late 2001 or early next year.

Freak Animal has also own newsgroup in internet. Members receive updates & lists via e-mail, others can join or just view lists and other information in this address: www.groups.yahoo.com/group/FreakAnimal

A tape was kindly sent by Mikko included some amazing Grunt tracks proving the huge potential from this act, let him described the whole:

"Mannerheim", "Belyi Smertz", and "Valheen Jäljet" will be (with one more track) on Grunt/Cloama "Valkoinen Kuolema - Belyi Smertz", split LP released by new Finnish label. White Cloning live track will probably be on Freak Animal Festival V/A LP. (studio version of cloning -theme V/A CD and one other live version on another V/A CD). "Beware what you wish for" and ''No More Calmness of Tolerance" (both studio and live) is not yet decided where they will be. Live version is simpler and less noisy because it was performed before studio version was finished. Also live metal beating wasn’t recorded with microphones, so it was just acoustic noise what can’t be heard well on mixing board recording. It can be heard on video. "Age of Degeneration" studio version will be on Grunt LP. I assume, but about this live version, I'm not sure... This split LP is based on Russia vs. Finland war propaganda from 1939-1945. LP should include reprinted old flyers and posters and texts in booklet. Cloama is very good Finnish band, which have been developing from harsh noise to interesting power electronics. The guy of Cloama is also member of Strom.EC.

Freak-tape: 001 Human Garbage #3 compilation, 002 Bambi Polo/T.N.P. split, 003 Yesmeansyes "Live in tour '93-'94", 004 Grunt "One Animal Above the Others", 005 Human Garbage #4 compilation, 006 Peaceful Threat –demo, 007 Grunt "'The New Form of the Organic Machine" 2xtape, 008 Grunt "Collapsing of Welfare State", 009 Grunt/Oral Climax split, 010 Grunt/IWanting To Work With Clay –split, 011 Building Of Gel/ Futile Existence –split, 012 Headless Piss "6.12.94 3.06.95", 013 Noise Waste -demo '95, 014 Yesmeansyes/ Mexican Power Authority –split, 015 Grunt/Yggdrasil –split, 016 Grunt/The Japanese Torture Comedy Hour –split, 017 Grunt/T.D.B. split & collaboration, 018 Grunt "Night Havoc", 019 Grunt/ Lasse Marhaug "Mad Emperor Anal" split & collaboration,

Freak-ep: 001 Noise Waste/ Cause For Effect -split 7", 002 Grunt/Bizarre Uproar -split 7", 003 Grunt/Hermit -split 7" 004 Grunt/Aube -split 7", 005 Noise Waste/Seven Minutes Of Nausea -split 7", 006 Grunt/Cosmonauts Hail Satan -split 7", 007 Grunt/Love Hole -split 7", 008 Aube/Noaidi -split 7", 009 Grunt/Kapotte Muziek -collaboration 7", 010 Freak Animal -zine + compilation 7" (Aube, Bastard Noise, Macronympha, Black Leather Jesus, Richard Ramirez)

Freak-Lp: 001 Grunt/ Bizarre Uproar/ Woundead -10"LP, 002 Grunt/ Aube -split 10"LP, 003 Incapacitants/ JunkDrome -split 10"LP, 004 Tiermes -10"LP, 005 K2/Grunt "Gears and Shafts" LP, 006 Richard Ramirez/ Grunt "Modern Beliefs" LP 007 Macronympha/ Grunt "Eye for an eye" split LP, 008 Facialmess/ Grunt -split LP, 009 Einleitungszeit "L'accouchement des machines humanes" LP, 010 Emil Beaulieaul/ Frans De Waard "Destroyed Music: Charcoal" LP,

Freak-CD: 001 C.C.C.C./Jalopaz/Alchemy of the 20th Century –CD, 002 Aube/Haters "Splinter Clear Cut/ Joyous Smash" split –CD, 003 Grunt/ Lasse Marhaug/ Bad Kharma "Scandinavian Noise Manifesto" CD, 004 Freak Animal #11 zine+CD, 005 Bastard Noise "The Symptoms of A Failing Equilibrium: Bastard Noise Hails The Finnish Sound Masters" CD 006 Taint "Victimology 2: Daughter" CD, CD 007 Degenarating Finland compilation, CD 008 Storm EC "Dogs of Total Order".

Freak-Video: 001 V/A Freak Animal Festival, 75 min, 002 Grunt "Live - Lahti" 25 min

GRUNT DISCOGRAPHY

1993: Grunt / Total Headfuck -split C-20 Nykto tapes/lnsecure prod. (Fin); Grunt / A.N.H. -split C-60 Nykto-tapes/Insecure prod.; Grunt "Industrial Madness?" C-30 Nykto-tapes.

1994: Grunt / Futile Existence -split C-16 Scattered Productions (Fin); Grunt "One Mimal Above the Others" C-30 Freak Animal Records (Fin)

1995: Grunt "The New Form of the organic machine" 2xC-60 Freak Animal Records; Grunt "Collapsing Welfare State" C-30 Freak Animal Records; Grunt / Pile of Eggs -split C-90 Egg Scab Radio (usa); Grunt / Oral Climax -split C-30 Freak Animal Records; Grunt / Wanting to Work With Clay -split C-30 Freak Animal Records; Grunt / Outermost split C-20 Cat Move (Jap); Grunt "040695-080895" C-60 Kubitsuri tapes Intemational (Jap);

Grunt / Bizarre Uproar split 7"ep Freak Animal Records/ Bizarre Uproar (Fin); Grunt /Japanese Torture Comedy Hour -split C-30 Freak Animal Records; Grunt / Yggdrasil -split C-30 Freak Animal Records /Darkness prod.(Ger)

1996: Grunt / Woundead / Bizarre Uproar -3-band 10"LP Freak Animal Records/ Merwi Records/Bizarre Uproar (Fin); Grunt / T.D.B. split & collaboration C-30 Freak Animal Records; Grunt / Krachgau -split C-40 Bawler tape prod. (Ger); Grunt / Gestörte Nachbarn -split C-30 B-Gore records (Spa);

Grunt "Night Havoc" C-30 Freak Animal Records; Grunt 'Two Episodes" C-16 Scattered prod.; Grunt / Lasse Marhaug "Mad Emperor Anal" split & collaboration C-30 Freak Animal Records; Grunt / Aube -split 7"ep Freak Animal Records; Grunt / Aube -split 10"LP Freak Animal Records; Grunt /

Hermit -split 7"ep Freak Animal Records/ Garbage Society Communications (Can); Grunt / Love Hole -split 7"ep Freak Animal Records/ Mies Levyt (Fin); Grunt / John Olson "Oats Omen" collaboration C-60 American Tapes (Usa); Grunt l Alchemy of the 20th Century -split C-30 Kadef (Ger); Grunt "Theories of the dream machinist" C-60 Worthless Human Flesh Records (Can)

1997:

Grunt / Kapotte Muziek -collaboration 7"ep Freak Animal Records;

Grunt / Cosmonauts Hail Satan -split 7"ep Freak Animal Records / Secret Devil Records (Uk); Grunt /Richard Ramirez –split & collaboration LP Freak Animal Records; Grunt /K2 collaboration LP Freak Animal Records/ Kinky Musik Institute (Jap);

Grunt "Perfect World" CD Les Disques Bruitistes (Fra)

1998: Grunt / Macronympha -split LP Freak Animal Records; Grunt / Facialmess -split LP Freak Animal Records; Grunt "On the Other Side of the Walls" C-30 Nail Releases (Ita);

Grunt "Someone Is Watching" C-60 Force Majeure (Fra); Grunt / Deison "Control Zero" split C-20 Loud! (Ita); Grunt "Europe After Storm" C-30 Spite (Usa)

1999: Grunt "Addicted" 7" Kubitsuri Tapes; Grunt "Live - Lahti" video Freak Animal.

2000: Grunt "Terror and degeneration" CD-r

2001:

Grunt "Europe After Storm" CD Force Majeure; re-release of tape +40 minutes bonus material;

Grunt / Sickness -split CD-r Ninth Circle Music (Usa), Grunt "Welfare" 7" Freak Animal

V/A recordings: "Degenerating Finland' CD (Freak Animal Records); "Evolution of the Mutants Species" -comp. C-60 (Chaotic Noise prod, Usa); "Freak Animal Festival" CD (Freak Animal Records); V/A "Freak Animal Festival" video (Freak Animal Records); "Freedom compilation" 2xtape (Distorted Vision, Usa); "Grey Minds from an Empty Hole" –C60 (Bizarre Audio arts, Ecuador) Grunt + 3 other bands; "Loud! in your Ears" (Loud! Italy); "Madness Incarnate 1" (VEP, Germany); "Mandatory Marathon" 4xC-90 box + booklet with 15 minutes of Grunt. (Amendment records, Usa); "Neuropeanoise" tape (Loud! Ita); "New Catastrophic Forces" C60 + C-90 set (United Syndicate, Jap); "Penus Rectus" 3xC-90 set (New Noise, Hol) tracks of about 30 other bands too; "Rudi Rat#6" 2xCD (Ecocentric Records, Usa); "Terrorist project" CD (Spastik Kommunikations, Usa); "The Rain of Fish" tape (Split eye); "Transmissions of Power" CD-r (Open Wound); "Deafness is not a gift" CD (Deafborn records); "Porno hurts" CD-r (Taint entertainment); "Crust X Grind compilation" CD Grunt mixing Irritate! (No Fashion rec).

Can you tell me more about Clinic of Torture? are you a part of this project?
There will be full length LP coming next in FA! Pretty much same style, but I think it's better. Yes, it's my side project. Different motive and methods of recording than in grunt. It's all studio-live to analog tape.

CLINIC OF TORTURE S/T CDR
Excellent, ultra sadist works. I was really surprised and pleased to discover this CD based on torture. The lack of information on the origin of this act and no title track names as well as the ultra violent artwork and noise bring a Snuff touch to this great work. This can be considered as a live studio recording without mastering. It is linear dens wall of noise with ultra painful screams and yells of tortured objects and female servants. Some other tracks are more into usual power electronics compositions. The great side of this recorded is that screams and electronics are distorted and melt into one single soundtrack. The completion of electro-torture. A MUST! And in fact a Mikko side-project!

PAIN NAIL is Marko Kokkonen and Mikko from F.A. This project has been created since '97 but there is very little available them so far. A debut album is announced on Freak Animal, with tracks from ’98 tape, live from '99 show and new material. Thay are making a power electronics with metal percussions. "Pain Nail is generated with simple equipment which quarantees noisy and "primitive" approach to the music. No clean sounding rhythm samples or too fancy editing. Expect sheer violence and aggression!". They have also participated to the "Dark Evolution of Electronics" compilation CD.

Discography: Tape 1998 (not officially distributed), V/A "Freak Animal Festival" Video, V/A "Degenerating Finland" CD, EP on Freak Animal.

PAIN NAIL S/T EP [FAEP012]

WOUAH!!! I wasn’t so impressed by their performance on the festival video but this Ep is kicking some asses. Pain Nail is the best recent outfit! Excellent debut Ep for this Finnish power electronics project, bringing 2 tracks mixing tough-eletronics and powerful vocals. Very dense basis and classical old industrial sounds like metal percussions and structures create a mix of power electronics and Death Industrial. The whole is enhanced by ultra persuasive vocals. BUY or DIE.

FREAK ANIMAL N11 CD+zine [FCD004]
Once again F.A. proves its mandatory existence for the industrial-noise underground. Mixing quality with positive spirit and attitude, this issue is a must. With interviews and tracks on CD from: Con-Dom, Merzbow, The Grey Wolves, Death Squad, Taint, Stimbox, Deathpile, Fluter, Abfall, Kazumoto Endo and R.H.Y. Yau. But also some labels such Harbinger, Spite, Nihilistic Recordings, Loud and Recalcitrant Noise. Extremely well presented and full of true underground spirit, this zine is the bible for power electronics and noise!!!

FREAK ANIMAL N12 zine
Freak Animal #12 is still very good as previous issue, but it announced a very bad news: Regarding the lack of response from underground projects, Mikko will stop his Zine! The zine itself is less big and there is no CD as planned! So you should all take a little bit of your time and write to Mikko to support him. Anyway The good news is that "FREAK ANIMAL have decided to join forces with other Finnish label KAOS KONTROL and together - hopefully with other contributors - create ‘zine dedicated to noise, power electronics, ambient, death industrial, etc. Back to this last issue: the format of this one is A5 with ultra shocking shots as a cover, with great black and white aesthetics. All along the 36 pages you will find interviews: from Dagda Mor, Ground Fault Rec, Dieter Müh, Troniks rec, M.S.B.R. / Magmax, K2, and of course tons of reviews. The price is 3$/Europe, 4$/Worldprices include airmail postage!! You have no choice but get this one!

DEGENARATE issue 1-2001
This the right inheritant of F.A.The lay out, the size, the contents are nearly the same. You will find a long extensive and interesting interview from STREICHER, but also ANEMONE TUBE, IRON JUSTICE, ALLEGORY CHAPEL LTD., DRAPE EXCREMENT, HAUS ARAFNA, DEATH SQUAD and MNEM. There are also reviews and articles. Some done by French Nicolärm, a notorious regional psycho. I have to say That I feel better now knowing that a Phoenix is born from the ashes of F.A. Worthing your support. If you think you are an underground listener of power electronics, noise, ambient, industrial, experimental, then you have to get this one as quick as possible!

AUBE / THE HATERS SPLIT [FCD002]
Excellent split CD in a nice black and white cardboard package. The 3 tracks from AUBE are evolving ambient to noise glass tracks, like crystal bells forming a huge insect song or saturated electronics with percussive loops and at the end an unearthed resonance. THE HATERS track is pure ultra violence and smashing noise, illustrating very clear words from Jupiter X larsen.

SCANDINAVIAN NOISE MANIFESTO Grunt / Lasse Marhaug / Bad Kharma CD [FCD003]
This compilation CD for these 3 Scandinavian projects, each from a different country, comes in a blue as cold arctic ice cardboard box package. Bad kharma from Norway made a track with notorious Wasa crispbread as soundsource: the whole is crusty! Then follow Lasse Marhaug from Sweden, with 2 live tracks, without a correct sound. I think it is more something to experienced live than on support. On the other hand the 2 studio tracks a strident ears drillers! Last but not least Grunt brings 7 power electronics tracks with furious vocals and skull crushing soundtrack. An excellent CD to get!

MAN IS THE BASTARD: BASTARD NOISE [FCD005] LIM300
Subtitled: Bastard Noise Hails The Finnish Sound Masters / The Symptoms of A Failing Equilibrium, these 9 tracks CD is an excellent collaboration between this US act and Finnish noisters. Many diversity in the tracks, ranging from heavy oppressing sub guitars noise, to power-noise with ultra violent voice in a grind-core way. Finnish project appearing on this collaboration album are Bizarre Uproar, Woundead, Order, Junkdrome, Grunt, Skin-graft and All-out. Definitely a very good release.

TAINT VICTIMOLOGY 2 : DAUGHTER [FCD006]
Are you ready to experience the brutal truth of children murderer? If you haven’t heard this blasting work as a power electronics addict then you don’t know what tortured mind of Taint is able to deliver. Firstly autoproduced as a tape this work definitely deserves such a support. TAINT is the aural description of Peter Sotos literature. Ultra powerful sadistic assault based on children molesters CD comes with a little girl soiled with blood buttock. Maybe the best release from TAINT so far. A glaucous MUST.

DEGENERATING FINLAND COMPILATION CD [FA007] LIM300
Finnish extreme noise compilation in an A5 format with a booklet featuring a page for each of the 13 projects. Great Power electronics acts like Grunt, Strom-ec, Order, excellent Pain Nail with impressive vocals, Death Industrial electronics from Detonator and Moozhead, I Corax, Dark oppressive electronics from Cloama and MNEM, Guitar noise delirium of All-out, as well grind-core electro-noise of Bizarre Uproar, Concrete gloom atmospheric from Wounded, Great minimal electronics with voice samples sounding like a confessional interview maybe in Finnish which creates a sea-green atmosphere form Nicole 12. Excellent omen for this country scene active and supplying quality projects. Recommended

STROM EC DOGS OF TOTAL ORDER CD [FCD008] LIM500
Even if the Ep on Kaos Kontrol has been published after this CD it was earlier material than this CD. This is the first full-length album from this Finnish power electronics unit. The presentation is nice grey photographs of old destroyed industrial sites (like my neighbourhood). This release is a lot better than the Ep. Featuring 12 tracks for a total lead-time of 43 minutes of original and great electronics. The sound sources are quite diverse and varied mixing old type of Industrial tones and new harsh blasts. A very good CD which can be advised to the ones who like Con-Dom.

FREAK ANIMAL FESTIVAL VIDEO 001
Such good initiative as the F.A. festival held the 26/9/1998 with Storm.EC, Pain Nail, Grunt, Chapter 23, Radiosonde, & Death squad deserved to be spread as VHS support. 75 minutes of selected best moments of this night in Lahti. A good initiative to follow, and to counter lack of concerts

GRUNT TERROR AND DEGENERATION CDR
New CD from the most popular Finnish power electronics act. Really excellent as usual Mikko is creating 10 tracks into 2 parts "Degeneration" and "Terror". Despite the fact that it is a CDR, this new release is coming in a great poster sleeve package filled with lyrics and usual S/M, Unabomber, guns, terrorists photographs. The tracks oscillate between ultra-violent and noisy power electronics like on "automatic death machine" and dark oppressive menace like on "Terrorist Threat". Take this one in your face and bleed.

WOUNDEAD EP LIM100 [FAEP]
I don’t have much information about this Finnish project but I was really surprised by their Ep. So Mikko give me some details "It is continuation of U.N.D. (name is "woUNDead" sometimes). U.N.D. started in '91 and did some tapes and vinyl releases. With Woundead name he has done 3 band 10" w/ Grunt & Bizarre Uproar, some compilation songs and one C-30 tape + this 7". He has a lot of new stuff done, but nothing is released. I personally like early UND even more. He was using more diverse sound sources and sound was very harsh and primitive. Especially 3 band 12" with Bizarre Uproar and Man Is The Bastard called "Sources of power from another world" (came in '92-93 or so) is excellent!". The design is also very good, in the typical social decadence genre. Musically the 2 tracks are droning electronics in an analog way. The whole is harsh atmospheric stuff very oppressive. A really promising release.

ORDER PUNISHMENT EP LIM200 [FAEP011]
Another new Finnish project of power electronics, a bit in the German style of Soldnergeist. The design and cover photographs are maybe usual or cliché for some of you but I find them good. Their music particularity is very repetitive structures, like hypnotic loops of electronic and voice samples. The whole creates a reflection of echoed noises with harsh vocals. A really good debut item, which I would recommend. Strangely one of the Ep message is to smoke pot (?), why not, but I do not think you will get in the right mood to appreciate their music.

GRUNT WELFARE EP [FAEP013]
2 new track from Herald of Icy torment! The production and the mixing are really great. All the different layers combined with force, whether the low drones loop giving the hypnotic edge or the improvisations of larsens and free-electronics treatments. The whole is enhanced by furious and raging vocals and some concrete metal junk plus percussions explosions. You can't deny it GRUNT is becoming a reference!! Very recommended!

TAINT HARMING OBSESSION EP [FAEP014]
Some new material from Keith is also welcome! Both tracks beguin with vicious vocals turning into noise. These 2 assaults of ultra violent electronics melt noise manipulations with the distorted voice becoming noise. I really like the artwork made of teens growing outside naiveness but facing brutal truth of rape soon. With this Ep Taint confirms that he is one of the few units playing such a brutal noise but keeping an extreme concept that sweats and stinks! Feel the perversions growing all along these tracks, you will not be able to deny these pulsations! Very Recommended!

[NORTHERN HERITAGE] P.O.Box 21, 15141 Lahti, Finland clandestineblaze@hotmail.com

To the same address you have also a record label and distribution of extreme black metal ask for list. "All releases sell out really fast. All releases underground black (/death) metal, the most cruel stuff what Finland has to offer. Northern Heritage has also large distribution of very harsh bm tapes/vinyl/CD, what commercial labels aren't willing to touch. http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/NorthernHeritage

NORTHERN HERITAGE DISCOGRAPHY: Most sold out, only couple latest ones available. All Finnish bands except Deathspell Omega (fra).

[001] Clandestine Blaze "Fire Burns In Our Hearts" LP 200x, [*002] Nightside "Ad Noctvm" 7" 200x, [003] Pest "Belial's Possessed Wolves" 7" 200x, [004] Clandestine Blaze "On The Mission" 7" 200x, [005] Bloodhammer "Monastery of thousand blackened lusts" 7" 200x, [006] V/A "Northern Heritrage" 5x7" BOX (inc. 002-005 + 5th 7" (with 1 track by each band), ltd. 100 copies), [007] Bloodhammer "Ancient Kings" CD (rerelease of 10" + 4 bonus tracks) 500x, [008] Deathspell Omega "Infernal Battles" LP 200x, [009] Clandestine Blaze "Fire Burns In Our Hearts" CD 1100x, [010] Incriminated "Illusion of Love" 7" 300x, [011] Clandestine Blaze/Deathspell Omega -split LP 300x, [012] Exordium "s/t" 10" 400x, [013] Annihilatus "Annihilation" 10" 400x, [014] Pest "Towards Bestial Armageddon" 7" 300x.

coming in future:

[015] Incriminated/Bloodhammer -split LP, Uncreation's Dawn - 7", Satanic Warmaster "Black Metal Commando" LP/CD, Bloodhammer - LP/CD, Incriminated "Miracle Of Purity" LP, Deathspell Omega 2nd LP.