Album Review: The Atrocity Circus – Malpractice (Cursed Monk Records / Eggy Tapes)

The Atrocity Circus is a transatlantic noise, death industrial and power electronics collective composed of Dan Dolby, Thomas Ott and existent/nonexistent. ‘Malpractice’ is their debut album and follows on from the EP ‘Yellow Crooked Teeth’ that was released in 2022 through Trepanation Recordings. It will be released digitally and on limited edition CD and cassette via Cursed Monk Records (CD) and Eggy Tapes (cassette) on 25th April 2025.

 

 

The soundtrack to a feverish nightmare, Malpractice is not for everyone, that much is for sure. However, for those who do enjoy some of the most horror-infused, abrasive industrial sounds going, it’s an experience like no other.

It’s no secret that I am a fan of ‘noise’, specifically the musical term and how it reworks conventional structures and distorts genres. I’ve openly said that I think some of the most inventive music comes from the world of noise and drone, even though I whole-heartedly acknowledge that I’m in a minority here. It just appeals to me, it gets my imagination flowing, and I delight in hearing the madness of others. All of this applies, even with its stronger industrial edge, to this album.

An album that is difficult to describe, but an album that deserves attention as its unique level of intensity sends shivers down the spine. Bit by bit, across seven vast tracks, the mind is swollen by the sound of suffocating atmospherics, harsh beats, ugly synth, and unforgiving noise. All capped off by howling vocals that sound downright painful. It is very easy to imagine The Atrocity Circus locking themselves away in a dark dungeon and forgoing all earthly pleasures in favour of driving themselves to madness just so they can deliver the exact sound we hear on Malpractice.

It is one way to look at the record, there are more, and many take on an even more nightmarish form. Such is the creative way each track plays out, even if it comes with so many obnoxious aspects too. I am in awe of how clever the record is, but I am the target audience. I love this insanity, but I really can’t promise you that you will.

What I can promise you is that you will be fascinated in some way or another. You might be scared, you might be disgusted, you might find your bowels quivering, but you will be fascinated. The Atrocity Circus promised a creative and horrifying experience that stays with you long afterwards, and on that front, they have more than delivered. Give Malpractice a chance, you might find yourself changed by it.

The Atrocity Circus – Malpractice Track Listing:

1. The Abattoir Artist
2. Nerve Endings
3. Malpractice
4. Glassy Eyed and Terrified
5. The Perpetual Ruination of Purity
6. Dreams of Self Immolation
7. Final Fatal Flaw

Links

Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | Cursed Monk Records | Eggy Tapes