Incredibly Strange Perfumes Pt.2 (The Smell of Music: Industrial)

From Wikipedia...

Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the style is harsh and challenging. Allmusic defines industrial as the "most abrasive and aggressive fusion of rock and electronic music"; "initially a blend of avant-garde electronics experiments (tape music, musique concrète, white noise, synthesizers, sequencers, etc.) and punk provocation".

The first industrial artists experimented with noise and aesthetically controversial topics, musically and visually, such as fascism, serial killers and the occult. Their production was not limited to music, but included mail art, performance art, installation pieces and other art forms. Prominent industrial musicians include Throbbing Gristle, SPK, Boyd Rice, Cabaret Voltaire, and Z'EV. The precursors that influenced the development of the genre included acts such as electronic group Kraftwerk, experimental rock acts Killing Joke, The Velvet Underground and Frank Zappa, psychedelic rock artists such as Jimi Hendrix, composers such as John Cage, writers such as William S. Burroughs, and philosophers such as Friedrich Nietzsche.

Read while playing the following videos at maximum volume.

Santa Maria Novella Nostalgia

If you'll ever have the chance to visit Florence don't miss the opportunity to go to the Santa Maria Novella's museum / shop / headquarter located in an ancient chapel from 1200 that's absolutely breathtaking for its beauty and majesty. 

Said that, Nostalgia it's not the kind of scent you would expect form a company founded in 1612 as it's quite modern and somehow weird. Rubber and leather that smell exacactly like the interiors of my grandad's old FIAT 500 during the summertime, when odors are emphasized by the high temperatures of the season. A great fragrance if you like challenging smoky rubber/leather scents a-la Knize Ten / CDG's Garage / Lisa Kirk's Revolution. I do.

Downside: the drydown is quite conventional if compared to the opening, but still pleasant.

One more thing. In italy SMN is sold at a reasonable price. 100 ml for 75 euros.

Rating: 9.5/10 for the opening

              7/10 for the drydown

              8/10 overall

Nasomatto Black Afgano 

I've tried this several times as it seems to be one of the most discussed scents of the last couple of years and I can surely say it doesn't smell like hashish at all. This is simply a weird scent, made to provoke (really???) with a pretentious aim to become a trend setter, but IMO it didn't succeed in any of the above aspect. It actually stinks and very loudly. I guess this is the result of a marketing campaign based on the concept "wierd equals original - original equals personality - personality equals beeing unique"...what about taste? Sometimes the word "weird" just means weird (in all its negative senses). Never, never, never belive the hype!

Note: I usually like weird scents, but they're so hard to find, and much harder to create.

Rating: 4/10

Boadicea The Victorious Complex

BAM! This is what happen when you spray Complex on your skin. A blast of (extremely) bitter green notes on a straight forward animalic leather accord and some violet that stays quite linear for hours and hours. In the drydown I get hints of musk and some incense (labdanum?) lurking in the very back.. .Just think about a Nasomatto remix version of Bandit without flowers. Loud, overwhelming, monolitic and uncompromising. Almost disturbing yet somehow fascinating. Don't get me wrong, it takes guts to really appreciate this composition, but if you're into weird, bitter animalic leather fragrances you should give this at least a try. For trained noses only.

Complex projects for yards and has a tenacious lasting power (more than 12 hrs). 

Advice: If you decide to approach this composition be aware that you won't be able to smell anything else for hours.

Rating: 7/10

Byredo M/Mink

This is a weird one! I usually love weird scents, but with this one I can't really decide. It opens with a blast of "I don't know what the hell is that but it makes me wanna puke" (rancid adoxal?) mixed with "bodily fluids?"and "animalistic secretions?"...who knows??? I guess is the completely desweetened honey note that smells more like beeswax. Very dense, sticky, almost animalic (in a bad way). Absolutely disgusting and seriously disturbing to my nose. The weirdest part is that the drydown is simply amazing with a warm and meditative inky-frankincense note. It never happened to me that I really hated a perfume opening and totally loved the drydown. My solution could be that I spray it on my clothes and then I wait one hour before to wear them so I can avoid the initial brutal blast! BTW incredible lasting power!

Rating: 8.5/10 (for its uniqueness)

              4/10 (for my personal taste)

NOTE: This is a fragrance to experience. Love or hate type of stuff but whether you'll like it or not it deserves its status as one of the most daring compositions so far.

Olivier Durbano Black Tourmaline

This is magnific, a great scent! Here's what I mean when I say I like weird scents. Black Tourmaline has a pretty common notes list but it is so brilliantly crafted and calibrated that the effect is totally distinctive and original. Smoky, dark, deep woods (mainly oud) and leather with a tar hint somewhere and incense that makes of it a very modern composition.  

At the same time Black Tourmaline has definitely the potential to become a classic, something that will leave a trace. Absolutely addictive. I rated it 9 out of 10 just because I've a few reservations as it is not easily wearable. A masterpiece, anyway.

Rating: 9/10

Lisa Kirk Revolution 

Weird scent that smells much better than the description provided within the package. Blood? Not really no. Urine? Well, yes because of the consistent use of civet. Tar? Yes, Birch tar galore! Tear Gas? Yes, definitely and that's why I think it's a bit too similar to a couple of compositions among the CDG Synthetic Series (Garage and Tar). As said before, civet is very prominent as well as tar but IMO what really adds the challenging power to Revolution are the strong spices (could be a scary blend of cumin and thyme?)...

Anyway, it takes ages for Revolution to properly settle down and become enjoyable as the opening is seriously arresting! Once you've passed the initial brutal and claustrophobic blast, the fragrance settles down to a fascinating concoction of spicy and ambery musk. Not for everybody, definitely.

Rating: 7/10


Other fragrances you might want to check:


Tauer Lonestar Memories
Comme Des Garcons Garage
Comme Des Garcons Tar
Blood Concept 0 (Review)
Bulgari Black
Maitre Parfumeur Et Gantier Eau Des Iles

Be A Good Boy: Go to Church. Liturgical Incense Inspired Fragrances Pt.2 (The Second Wave - Avignon Anyone?)

Calè Fragranze D'Autore - Preludio D'oriente

This is an hidden gem. One of those fragrances that fly under the radar but should definitely deserve much more attention.

Preludio D'Oriente moves in the same direction as other compositions a-la Avignon / Cardinal but where these two stay pretty linear in reproducing the liturgical frankincense, PDO is enriched by dark dry woods, leather and a tiny amount of oud. The opening is quite severe with a consistent incense note enhanced in its lemony aspect by astringent artemisia and citruses. Dry woods and leather join the party right away turning the fragrance into a darker and misterious composition that continuely moves on the thin line bewteen harshness and warmness while manitaining a perfect balance. Oud is subtle, toned down, restrained and used just to give some extra boldness to this marvellous composition.

Severe, dark and misterious. Top quality stuff!

Rating: 8.5/10

Mark Buxton - Around Midnight

This is not a bad one. It's quite ok, actually, but unfortunately is by Mark Buxton.I don't understand why some perfumeurs deliver better fragrances when they work for other brands instead of their own. When I think of Mr Buxton what comes to my mind is Comme Des Garcons 2, or the original Comme Des Garcons, or Ouarzazate, or CDG White. Masterpieces! Around midnight is a smoky, dark and minimalistic frankincense sfragrance (even if incense it's not listed among the notes). It's quite ok, if you don't know any better.

Sillage is barely acceptable, lasting power no more than 2-3 hours.

Rating: 6.5/10

Tauer - Incense Extreme

Perfumes form people that really knows how to make them! Incense Extreme is an extremely solid composition. Modern, consistent and elegant but at the same time descreet (expecially during the drydown). One of the most minimal incense creations yet among the most versatile. If you ever thought that Avignon was one of the most realistic "churchy" incenses, then try this one. The opening is breathtaking with a blast of pungent frankincense and petit grain surrounded by a remarkable woody vibe. Dry, almost harsh (cedar), but magistrally orchestrated to  result incredibly likeable. Green undertones paired off with coniferous hints add depth and charme.The drydown it's somehow "lighter", comfortable and close to the skin and it's when the Tauer's signature becomes unmistakeable. I still found Avignon to be much more original and emotional but Tauer's take on straight forward frankincense is surely a winner. Recommended.

Rating: 8/10

Montale - Full Incense

Montale goes Comme Des Garcons. Bolder than Avignon and slightly less minimalistic but still too literal. A rip-off.

Rating: 4/10

Biehl Parfumkunstwerke - MB03

MB03 smells good but we really needed another one like Avignon, Around Midnight, Cardinal? This is a good, dark church-y incense but, unfortunately, it's really too similar to the ones I mentioned which are cheaper and much easier to find.

Rating: 6/10

Olivier Durbano - Cristal de Roche (Rock Crystal)

Among the Avignon rip-offs the Durbano is probably the most original (which is an euphemism to say that is slightly less literal). The typical church-y cedarwood/incense accord is joined by some spices and other woody notes and it's paired to the usual balmy, sort of synthetic Durbano's signature. Nice but forgettable.

Rating: 6.5/10

Profumum - Olibanum

This is a real alternative to seminal scents like Avignon or Incense Extreme. Olibanum is great if you like smoky incense based fragrances but it's quite different form the well known antagonists. Together with the usual liturgic vibe Profumum introduced a sealing wax effect that make Olibanum irresistible. While the opening is still quite severe and chilling, the drydown turns dry-and-warm, meditative and comfortable. A terrific woody-green take on the main theme. Highly recommended!

Rating: 7.5/10

Olivier Durbano Citrine: Yes Way

Considering how pretty much all of the others Durbano's creations range from being uninteresting to simply unpleasant (with the exception of Black Tourmaline) I was ready for another disappoinment but, Citrine smells good.

It opens with spicy-peppery notes joined by an huge amount of fizzy citruses. A remarkable resinous undertone is immediately detectable and opens the door to a consistent rosewood note that, IMO, is the true star of this composition. The myrrh, together with other woods get more prominent while slight flowery patterns add refinements and some complexity. In this phase Citrine is not very distant from an hypothetical mash-up between Keiko Mecheri's Olibanum and Comme Des Garcons Palisander. Amber remakrs its presence with a tad of sweetness, while hints of citruses provide sparkling undertones throughout.

Good stuff.

Rating: 8/10