Fans Explain Why They Like Harsh Noise

A Reddit user posed a question that hit home for the EB editorial staff: How do fans of harsh noise appreciate such atrocious sounds? “I’ve been listening to classical my whole life and when introduced to more eccentric music like Stockhausen and Webern, it took me a while but I finally began to like it,” the poster wrote. “However when I try listening to harsh noise with all the screaming and yelling, I have no idea how to appreciate it. How do you get about it?” [sic] The answers so far have ranged from earnest attempts to explain how everyone’s different, thoughtful excavations of the intricacies of human “taste” as a social phenomenon and a lot of recommendations of Merzbow and other noise artists large and small, which makes the thread a good primer if you’re interested in getting into the style. But the only reason answer is SORRY M9 I CANNOT HEAR YOU.

Check out a YouTube channel with more than 200 rare and out of print noise albums here or dig right into 30 gb of tape recordings from the 80s.