Merzbow Archive Series / Computer Era (2001-2003)
Computer Era (2001-2003) The computer became Merzbow's primary tool, yielding acclaimed works like Dharma (2001), Merzbeat (2002), and A Taste Of... (2002). This period showcases matured digital techniques and increasingly complex sound manipulation.
Yoshinotsune Metamo
The title references Yoshitsune, legendary Japanese warrior-hero - though "Metamo" suggests metamorphosis, transformation. Yoshitsune's story involves disguise, flight, and tragic loyalty - themes resonating with Akita's own constant transformations. Akita's engagement with Japanese history and mythology runs throughout his work, counterbalancing Western avant-garde influences often emphasized in critical discussions.
The metamorphosis theme connects to Merzbow's endless mutations, each album tr…
Pig AY
Pig AY extends animal-themed titles becoming prominent following Akita's veganism adoption in 2003. The pig - intelligent, social, routinely abused by industrial agriculture - would become a recurring figure in later work. This early reference suggests themes gestating before full ideological commitment.
Pigs possess intelligence comparable to dogs and young children, yet endure conditions unthinkable for companion animals. Akita's interest in pigs reflects both their abuse by human systems and …
Material For Structure I
Recorded in September 2002, Material for Structure I unfolds across 50 minutes as a continuously evolving sonic organism. The first half emphasizes repetition, gradually building toward chaotic avalanches of sound. Throughout, electronically randomized frequencies color the space, demonstrating mature command of computer-generated textures.
Remarkably, despite the digital tool shift, performances retain the freakish intensity of 1990s analog sessions - proof that expression transcends equipment.…
SCSI Duck 2
The title playfully merges computer technology (SCSI interfaces dominating 90s computing) with animal imagery - collision typical of Akita's conceptual approach. The "Duck" suggests both the animal and evasive movement - ducking, dodging. These recordings demonstrate characteristic humor often overlooked by commentators emphasizing intensity.
SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) represents an era when connecting devices required specialized knowledge and cable; the "duck" perhaps navigates the…
3rd Of May Vol.1
Precisely dated to May 3, 2003, these recordings document Merzbow during the exceptionally productive period yielding Cycle, Merzbird, and Tamago. Listeners familiar with Tamago will recognize kindred elements - particularly drum-like samples erupting from multiple directions in midsections, creating quasi-rhythmic structures amid textural chaos.
The date perhaps references Goya's famous painting "The Third of May 1808," depicting war's brutality - a connection that resonates with Merzbow's own …
3rd Of May Vol.2
Volume 2 features extended development of repetitive elements, with beat-like samples undergoing extreme abstraction through effects processing - documenting Akita's ongoing stylistic experimentation even within established methodology. The continuation from Vol.1 allows deeper immersion in that single day's creative output.