Ok, first off, thank GOD someone started talking about this, because ever since I read the scathing review of it in the German thread the other day, I was wondering how to formulate a response. Knew I very much wanted to being I love experimental/noise/drone stuff, but wanted to ruminate a little to make sure I chose my words carefully.
The first thing I was going to ask Mariadoc is if he is a fan of noise to begin with. Because quite frankly, the (unfortunate) little I've heard of Cement, I've really really liked. But I like noise. I remember reading on a different forum how Subterfugue for 3 Absynths seemed to piss some people off with its inaccessibility and repetition.
Me, I love it, absolutely love it. Makes me really happy. I can't qualify my reasoning as satisfactorily as I'd like, being it's such a subjective thing- we'd tangentially get back to the What Is Art thing that Joakim mentioned- and that's pointless.
Suffice to say that like a lot of noise, it's something that resonates deeply with me. It doesn't for many people and that's ok too. I can happily get lost in the textures and subtleties in Muslimgauze's
Azzazin for instance, whereas I have friends who absolutely *do not get* what I see in it. And like I said, that's perfectly ok. I respect the fact they don't like it and they respect the fact that I do.
So, I personally was thrilled when I discovered Eskil's side project was noise-oriented. I assumed that the name "Cement" possibly referred to
Musique concrète, with its repetitive tape loops. Which alone gives a strong indication as to the tone of the project. I could be wrong- just my assumption. But I certainly didn't assume it was going to be traditionally melodic or even have elements of Covenant in it.
But I guess my main point is this: why write a review about how terrible a noise show was (regardless of *whose* show it is), when one doesn't like noise to begin with?
My usual caveat applies- not writing this to piss anyone off or to operate under the notion that it isn't ok to have a differing taste or point of view (I should start using that as my signature, ha). Of course it is.
Quid Pro Quo certainly is applicable- as long as you're coming from a basis of comparison that is fair to begin with. It works both ways. But in the review I didn't really see any respect for the particular art form that Cement is utilizing. So yeah, frankly, it did seem dismissive and short-sighted to me, to be honest.
I just don't think it's fair to dismiss something- anything, really- because it doesn't meet preconceived expectations as to what you anticipated it would or *should* be.
Ok, I've babbled enough...