Clash of the Life-Force Warriors

While it's true that AIDS Wolf and Athletic Automaton have been and remain two separate bands, the word "versus" in this set is slightly misleading. Clash of the Life-Force Warriors is basically both bands playing with one another in various configurations. People switched sides, participated partially in places, etc. — it's a real mess. To add to the confusion there are supposedly some Athletic Automaton "songs" and some AIDS Wolf "songs" — but there are far more Life-Force Warriors "songs." That word "song" is in quotation marks because it would be fun to see if either group or both together could ever pull off the truly amazing feat of repeating any of these performances. It hardly matters, because this is one messed-up, freaked-out record, full of buzzsaw fuzz guitar, controlled and whacked-out noise, and skittering drums that add to the trancelike feel of many of the minutes here. The crazy voice of singer Special Deluxe (who sounds like a hysterical version of Niagara from Destroy All Monsters) is featured on most tunes here, including "Letter to Al Johnson," "Tears & B*****b," and "Dew Covered Plumage." Get the idea? Yeah, it's way weird — weirder and noisier than Sonic Youth and Double Leopards put together and wilder than the Sunburned Hand of the Man. But it all works somehow, as chaotic, noisy, and acid-damaged as it is. This is one that has to be heard to be believed, but once encountered cannot ever be forgotten — even in your worst nightmares. The artwork on the CD booklet is amazing, but it also appears on the vinyl LP, which qualifies as a genuine art object. Clash of the Life-Force Warriors is magnificent burned-out fun.