A few days before official release, avant-Metal pioneers BONG-RA present the full album stream of their forthcoming record, “Black Noise“. The new album finds mastermind Jason Köhnen (THE LOVECRAFT SEXTET, THE KILIMANJARO DARKJAZZ ENSEMBLE) returning to the fuck-you extremity of his heritage: blending visceral and weighty stabs of guitar with mechanical electronics, interweaving polyrhythmic relentlessness with grim-faced, steely-eyed Industrial Metal heft – the nervous psychopathy of breakcore bubbling at the edges to boil over in cascades of propulsive energy.
Listen here to “Black Noise“:
Köhnen shares insights into his artistic approach and the new BONG-RA record:
“I want to be open minded, curious, experimental and not being afraid of making mistakes. I often use the cooking metaphor for my artistry. Many musicians prefer to stick to one recipe with the same ingredients and work to perfect their dish, which in my opinion is a craft in and of itself and demands dedication and discipline. For me, I like to experiment with a lot of spices, different textures, ingredients and cuisines, styles and work towards weird and wonderful fusions. What I make is sometimes an acquired taste, not for general consumption, but strangely good nonetheless.
“Black Noise” is mostly influenced by several pieces of literature, especially Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road“, but also the classics from Aldous Huxley and George Orwell, movies like “Brazil” by Terry Gilliam, George Lucas’ “THX1138“, the dystopian books and films which made a huge impact on me throughout my life, and in some way this dystopia which I always thought would remain fiction is slowly becoming reality. Musically the core influences are definitely GODFLESH, (early) PITCH SHIFTER, MINISTRY, GGFH, FALL OF BECAUSE, JOY DIVISION, WILL, ULTRAVIOLENCE, OPTIMUM WOUND PROFILE to name a few.“
Find all album details here!
“Black Noise” will be released on CD, vinyl, and digital on February 21st. The vinyl version is released in partnership with Netherland’s Tartarus Records who’s also doing a tape version of the album. Two specially designed t-shirts will accompany the launch. Pre-orders are possible via the label’s EU, US, and Bandcamp shops.
BONG-RA live dates – playing alongside THE ANSWER LIES IN THE BLACK VOID – are already confirmed for 2025:
07.03 Budapest, HU
14.03 Cluj, RO
15.03 Bucharest, RO
26.03 Utrecht, NL
27.03 Drachten, NL
28.03 Deventer, NL
29.03 Terneuzen, NL
30.03 Tilburg, NL
11.04 Zagreb, HR
12.04 Vilnius, LT
13.04 Kaunas, LT
10.09 Rotterdam, NL
11.09 Nijmegen, NL
12.09 Arnhem, NL
13.09 Haarlem, NL
Jason Köhnen began his musical journey in 1988 as the vocalist/bassist for BLUUURGH…, an underground Dutch Crust/Death Metal/Grindcore band. Following the release of an EP and LP, in 1991 he founded the Death-Doom band CELESTIAL SEASON, gaining widespread recognition as a prominent name in the genre outside the renowned ‘Peaceville 3′.
In 1996, Köhnen shifted from Metal to electronic music, creating the project BONG-RA and pioneering the intense Breakcore genre of electronica. His 1998 debut album led to a Peel Session in 2002, and established BONG-RA as one of the first acts to fuse Extreme Metal with electronics. The experimentation deepened with releases like the 2007 “Grindkrusher” EP, featuring BOLT THROWER samples, and collaborative releases with noise artist Maruosa in DEATHSTORM and the neo-classical Doom project WHITE DARKNESS.
Beyond BONG-RA, Kohnen co-founded THE KILIMANJARO DARKJAZZ ENSEMBLE and later THE MOUNT FUJI DOOMJAZZ CORPORATION, releasing a series of cult albums up to 2013. Over his 30-year career, he has collaborated with notable artists such as VENETIAN SNARES and IGORRR, performed at major festivals including Glastonbury and Dour, and toured globally, sharing the stage with legendary acts like APHEX TWIN, MINISTRY and THE PRODIGY.
After a brief hiatus, during which BONG-RA explored Doom, Electronica and Jazz – including via 2018’s “Antediluvian” and 2022’s “Meditations” – Köhnen is now returning to his Metal and Grindcore roots. A deal with Debemur Morti Productions, also home to his Doomjazz project THE LOVECRAFT SEXTET, has been reached.
BONG-RA now prepares for a new era as a live three-piece featuring guitarists Attila Kovacs and Botond Fogl. This freshly rejuvenated vehicle for Metal/breaks fusion will debut in early 2025 with a new record “Black Noise” and an upcoming tour.