One of the projects I always hoped that Altar Of Waste would be associated with.
Working with the idea of David Lynch was one of my initial, and strongest, inspirations as an HNW and drone composer; my work has always been as deeply influenced by him as much as by Eliane Radigue. And he has long been one of my very favorite filmmakers.

The "Blue Velvet" series was an open-door compilation, designed as a platform for both established HNW acts and newcomers to the scene.
As long as an artist was a true fan of the film and could do quality work specific to and inspired by it, they could contribute an album to the series.
The initial volumes were specifically curated; each artist was selected by me and given a track from Angelo Badalamenti's score to work with.
The results were inspiring; every artist gave it their all.
I quickly realized that this project could be an ongoing one, given the film's, and the label's, reach.
The final volume of the series was turned in in 2016.
I am very proud of this series; it truly captured what Altar Of Waste was about.
This series, and my label, was about a love for cinema, a love for extreme music of all genres, and an unbridled creativity unfettered by genre constraints or expectations.

I despise the notion of what HNW "should" be and I wholly reject any attempt to define it. Nothingness transcends boundary, and gatekeeping is the lowest form of criticism. It is pathetic and insecure. Altar Of Waste was always meant as a "fuck you" to expectation, convention, and definition.
I still live by that.
I hate scenes, i hate cliques, and i hate those who work to establish and perpetuate them. I hate those who take no stand in favor of some sort of pointless "collectiveness." I hate the idea of the "HNW fam." It is completely illusory. It's all bullshit, and it sickens me.
I hate those who have done nothing, given nothing, and expect everything. That's all I ever encountered anymore in the last two years of AOW's existence.
I hate ego and I hate the sense of self-congratulatory circle-jerking that typifies today's HNW world.

This series was a joy to work on - digging through the interwebs and sourcing all sorts of images and posters for the film from around the world. No one image or design could really define the film...for this digital release i've chosen one that seems to convey a sort of sense of "expanse," but by no means or measure is it a summary or an encapsulation. The film is so much larger than that; I offer only an approximation, based on my own reading and enjoyment (for me, a sense of mystery, "unknowableness," and sadness.) Which is what the series ultimately was for all the artists involved (I hope.)
It is my privilege to offer this series in its entirety now.
Take it for free - it is my gift to you.
For this digital release, I have added a Eugene Critchley track (completed in 2020.)
Also, just for the record, I contributed a few pieces to this compilation under various projects: the Cory Strand, Lethe, and Dejection tracks are all my work.
Curated by me, 2013 - 2016.

-Cory Strand, January 2020