Absurd Reality, No Fun HNW, & Filthy Sounds Recording Interview

Back in 2024, I got my first taste of Absurd Reality, and I was so impressed by how crude and nasty its take on walled noise was. Behind the project is South Carolina-based Krys Marshall, who also runs the Filthy Sounds Recording label. He’s since gone on to form No Fun HNW, which pushes the levels of nasty crudeness even more.  Krys kindly agreed to an email interview.

M[m]: What were some of your first experiences of more extreme forms of sound? And did any of these inspire you to start making your own work?

Krys: Well, I found noise much later than most, as I discovered it in 2021. I was always big into extreme metal of all forms, but just somehow never ran across noise. The first real noise I discovered was the early projects from Necroviolence (1940s Nihlist, Atrax Hex, Nudoria and Necroviolence). I was absolutely blown away at just how raw and visceral these sounds I was hearing- I almost immediately knew that this was what I wanted to do. Then I started discovering all the different styles and subgenres and eventually found Harsh Noise Wall with projects like Werewolf Jerusalem, Vomir, The Rita and realised that this was what I was looking for.

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M[m]: Please talk a little bit about when you first heard the wall noise form? And was there any particular track or release that was impactful?

Krys:  After discovering the bigger old-school HNW acts, I became aware of more current projects like GodnoiseGod,  Night Porter, DNOC, Stalk Market, Crepuscular Entity, etc. It was such a change going from 30+ years of listening to metal that it just felt like a completely fresh breath of air. 

 

M[m]: Was there any particular wall noise track or release that was impactful on you?

Krys: The first time I heard The Rita's MAGAZINE.  It's still to this day my absolute favourite wall noise album. 

 

M[m]: I first became aware of your work with the Absurd Reality project- tell us a little bit about how/ when it came about? And is this your first sonic venture?

Krys: Absurd Reality was my second project. I started making noise under the project name Visceral.  It was very much a project that came out of a very turbulent time in my life. A lot of anger and substance abuse were going on when I began, and after a while, it just came to be a project I just wanted nothing else to do with after getting myself cleaned up, so I started Absurd Reality.  

 

M[m]: Is there any of Visceral project's work online?

Krys: There are a few visceral releases around mainly through Arrythnia Net Label.  On a few compilations.  There's a really good Split with Morbid Beauty through the Owlripper. 

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M[m]: Your other active wall project is No Fun HNW- what do you see as the difference between the two projects?

Krys: Well, Absurd Reality has no one particular style of sound, as I've done everything from straight Harsh Noise, HNW, Industrial, etc. No Fun Harsh Noise Wall is strictly an exploration of Pure Wall Noise. It's honestly become my favourite project to record as

 

M[m]: All of your work has a very crude and nasty sound to it- please talk a little bit about the setup you use to create work? And has it changed since you first started?

Krys:  Well, I use a pretty basic setup, but I try to incorporate a lot of field recordings and sample Manipulation.  I usually use a 2-track mixer, multi-effects pedal, a few distortion pedals, contact mic. I also don't use a DAW in my recordings.

 

M[m]: Most of your releases appear on Filthy Sounds Recordings? - Please talk a little bit about how & when the label came about?

Krys: Well, FSR started as mainly just an outlet for my own project.  Initially, I had no intention of opening it to other projects as I didn't really feel anyone would be interested.  I started releasing other artists at the beginning of 2024, and I've been very surprised and grateful for the projects that have shown support and sent in submissions. 

 

M[m]: You have a real eye for using disturbing imagery for your releases, which in the past has had you banned from social media. Please talk a little bit about how you source them, and how they play into the themes of your work?

Krys: I do like using more extreme artwork, and a lot of the time it's either a personal interest or a subject I find interesting and like exploring, even if it in itself is not something I take part in in my personal life.  It's landed me in trouble more than once on different platforms and with different artists/projects that don't agree with it, but it is indeed my expression, and people can choose to listen or not to listen. Some of the artwork is from my personal library and some I source from other places. 

 

M[m]: Though your work, over both projects, has a fairly crude old school feel, you often try to do something different with form, like the intense looped bashing rock visuals of No Fun HNW - Unflinching , or the vocal-like textures on No Fun HNW - Cranial Collapse. Any plans for similar on the upcoming work?

Krys: There are a couple of splits coming out end of December and early 26 that are more experimental in form over just straight militant hnw. Mainly a split with Futile Life coming through Unenjoyable Records and one with POGROM PARTY coming through Deepthroat.  I'll often use manipulated samples layered under the topsoil wall.

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M[m]: Aside from wall noise/ harsh noise- what other sonic forms/ musical genres do you enjoy?

Krys: Outside of noise, I like a little bit of everything literally.  Always been into Black Metal/DSBM and love the blended cross overs with blackened noise/Power Electronics. Alot of 80s, 90s industrial Electronics.  Punk, Grindcore, Thrash. 

 

M[m]: You're based in South Carolina- what’s the noise/experiment/ extreme like?

Krys: There's a small scene in the bigger cities, but I'm really not into playing live, and I'm extremely introverted, so I don't go to many shows. Maybe in the future 

 

M[m]: You've done a few splits now- what have been some of your favourite ones, and explain why?

Krys: I've had the blessing to work with some really cool people. Love working with DABE LAJF (Futile Life) he's just always had the intensity that I love working beside.  Love working with DNOC he's always delivering some of the best HNW around. Got the opportunity to work with Dodssang Tempel that was really cool. There are literally too many to name all the awesome people I love recording with and work with continuously over time.

 

M[m]: Have you/ or would you like to play live?

Krys:  Well, at some point, I'd like to get to where I'm comfortable doing live sets. At the current moment, though no, I have no plans of doing any shows.

 

M[m]: What’s next in the pipeline from you?

Krys:  I’ve got some new albums coming in 26, a new Album from my collaboration project with Whores Breath, Hit With A Barrage will have its first physical release through Machine Tribe Recordings.  I plan on solely focusing on No Fun Harsh Noise over any of my other outlets.  I'll also be starting up a new label that will strictly release HNW only, so I'm pretty excited for that.

 

Thanks to Krys for his time and effort with the interview.  Link-wise, here’s  Filthy Sounds Recording bandcamp , and here’s the bandcamp of his new wall noise only label Dying Monolithic HNW