{{Infobox album | name = Pulse Demon | type = studio | artist = [[Merzbow]] | cover = Merzbow-pulsedemon.jpg | alt = | released = {{Start date|1996|5|28}} | recorded = October–November 1995 | studio = ZSF Produkt Studio, Tokyo, Japan | genre = [[Japanoise|Noise]] | length = {{Duration|m=73|s=20}} | label = [[Relapse Records]] | producer = [[Masami Akita]] | prev_title = Music for Bondage Performance 2 | prev_year = 1996 | next_title = Spiral Honey | next_year = 1996 }} {{Album ratings | rev1 = [[AllMusic]] | rev1score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}<ref>{{AllMusic|class=album|id=mw0000648129}}</ref> | rev2 = [[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] | rev2score = 8.7/10<ref name="pitchfork">{{cite web|last1=Linhardt|first1=Alexander Lloyd|title=Merzbow: Pulse Demon / Animal Magnetism Album Review|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/11778-pulse-demon-animal-magnetism/|date=September 10, 2003|website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]|access-date=12 May 2018}}</ref> }}

'''''Pulse Demon''''' is a studio album by the Japanese noise musician [[Merzbow]], released 28 May 1996.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/release/96797 |title=Merzbow - Pulse Demon (CD, Album) |work=Discogs |access-date=May 24, 2012}}</ref> The album was reissued on [[Phonograph record|vinyl]] in May 2018 by Bludhoney Records,<ref name="ele-king">{{cite web|title=Merzbow - Pulse Demon &#124; メルツバウ|url=http://www.ele-king.net/review/album/006263/ |date=May 8, 2018|website=ele-king |language=ja|access-date=12 May 2018}}</ref><ref name="japanvibe">{{cite web|title=Merzbow's legendary Pulse Demon finally gets a vinyl reissue… and sells out immediately|url=http://japanvibe.net/merzbows-legendary-pulse-demon-finally-gets-a-vinyl-reissue-and-sells-out-immediately/|website=Japan Vibe|access-date=12 May 2018}}</ref> and again in November 2019 by [[Relapse Records|Relapse]], with a bonus track.<ref>{{cite web |title=MERZBOW – Relapse Records To Reissue Remastered Edition Of Pulse Demon Album |url=http://bravewords.com/news/merzbow-relapse-records-to-reissue-remastered-edition-of-pulse-demon-album-woodpecker-no-1-streaming |date=1 October 2019 |website=Bravewords.com |publisher=Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles |access-date=24 October 2019}}</ref>

==Background== The holographic, shiny silver artwork is a homage to the [[1970s in music|1970s]] Prospective 21e Siècle imprint of [[Philips Records]],<ref name=coc/> in particular the albums of [[Ivo Malec]].<ref name=neural/> However, the art is most similar to the work of [[Bridget Riley]], "Fall" and "Current" in particular.

{{quote|Basically, this shiny silver is the color of [[Heavy metal music|Heavy Metal]]. I mean it the way [[William Burroughs]] said it. My basic idea is I think this idea has been approached in the past by [[Heldon]] and [[King Crimson]].|sign=Masami Akita<ref name=coc>{{cite web |url=http://www.geocities.com/~zaraza_doom/merzbow.htm |title=Corridor Of Cells - Interview - Merzbow |date=1997 |work=Corridor of Cells |access-date=May 24, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991130203529/http://www.geocities.com/~zaraza_doom/merzbow.htm |archive-date=November 30, 1999 |url-status=dead}}</ref>}}

The title was inspired by the 1970s [[afro-rock]] band [[Demon Fuzz]] and Akita's use of a [[Effects unit|fuzz box]] as a pulse generator.<ref name=neural>{{cite web |url=http://www.geocities.com/sunsetstrip/2958/ntmerzbow.html |title=MERZBOW - interview |work=Neural Therapy |access-date=April 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990127211112/http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/2958/ntmerzbow.html |archive-date=January 27, 1999 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Some song titles were inspired by [[Jon Appleton]]'s ''[[Appleton Syntonic Menagerie]]'' LP.<ref name=coc/>

==Reception== Critical reaction to ''Pulse Demon'' was mixed. ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]'' gave the album's 2003 re-release a score of 8.7/10, their highest rating out of their eight reviews of Merzbow albums. Calling it an "incomparable classic", the reviewer describes the album as "simply pure sound, viciously unadulterated static", going on to state that "music cannot get much more extreme than this. Maybe [[John Cage]]'s ''[[4′33″]]'', and that's so far to the limit, it's probably cheating. This is the edge of music, of sound in general." Also praised was the album's packaging, being called "more valuable than some people's lives."<ref name="pitchfork"/> However, [[AllMusic]]'s dismissive two-line review from Jason Ankeny simply said "Merzbow's second American release offers more of the deafening [[white noise]] that is his trademark, [[Mastering (audio)|mastered]] for maximum loudness. Not for the faint of heart, but ideally suited for the hard of hearing."<ref>{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r241844}}</ref> Being given only 2.5/5 stars, ''Pulse Demon'' is one of the four lowest rated of AllMusic's 31 (solo) Merzbow reviews. ''[[The A.V. Club]]'', in their review, described the album as "genuinely extreme, downright torturous sounds that are strangely compelling in their shredding intensity."<ref name="avclub">{{cite web|last1=Thompson|first1=Stephen|title=Merzbow: Pulse Demon|url=https://www.avclub.com/merzbow-pulse-demon-1798193834|date=March 29, 2002|website=[[The A.V. Club]]|access-date=12 May 2018}}</ref>

==Track listing== ===Original version=== {{Track listing | headline = CD track listing | all_music = Masami Akita | title1 = Woodpecker No. 1 | length1 = 6:42 | title2 = Woodpecker No. 2 | length2 = 3:37 | title3 = Spiral Blast | length3 = 4:30 | title4 = My Station Rock | length4 = 4:54 | title5 = Ultra Marine Blues | length5 = 11:29 | title6 = Tokyo Times Ten | length6 = 11:09 | title7 = Worms Plastic Earthbound | length7 = 24:53 | title8 = Yellow Hyper Balls | length8 = 6:03 }}

===Remastered version=== {{Track listing | headline = Side one | title1 = Woodpecker No. 1 | length1 = 6:43 | title2 = Woodpecker No. 2 | length2 = 3:37 | title3 = Spiral Blast | length3 = 4:30 | title4 = My Station Rock | length4 = 4:54 }} {{Track listing | headline = Side two | title1 = Ultra Marine Blues | length1 = 11:29 | title2 = Yellow Hyper Balls | length2 = 6:03 }} {{Track listing | headline = Side three | title1 = Tokyo Times Ten | length1 = 11:08 | title2 = Extract 1 | note2 = bonus track | length2 = 5:01 }} {{Track listing | headline = Side four | title1 = Worms Plastic Earthbound | length1 = 24:52 }}

==Notes== *All composed by live noise [[Musique concrète|concrete]]. No [[Overdubbing|over dub]]. *Mastered at SAE Mastering, Phoenix, AZ, January 1996.

==Personnel== *Masami Akita&nbsp;– metals, [[Electronic Music Studios|EMS]], audio generator, shortwave, noise electronics, tape, voice *Colour Climax&nbsp;– visual *Bill Yurkiewicz & David Shirk&nbsp;– mastering

==Release history== {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |+Release history and formats for ''Pulse Demon'' ! Region ! Date ! Label ! Format ! Quantity ! Catalog ! Notes |- ! scope="row" rowspan="5"|United States | 1996 | rowspan="2"|[[Relapse Records|Release]] | rowspan="2"|[[Compact Disc|CD]] | 3,000 | rowspan="2"|RR 6937-2 | Holographic sleeve |- | 1998 | unknown | Jewel case |- | rowspan="2"|May 11, 2018 | rowspan="2"|Bludhoney | 2×[[LP record|LP]] | 500 | BLUD-20 | Colored vinyl |- | [[Compact Cassette|Cassette]] | 100 | n/a | Only available with LP bundle |- | November 29, 2019 | [[Relapse Records|Relapse]] | LP | 1,950 | RR6937 | Includes bonus track |- ! scope="row"|Italy | March 2023 | [[Old Europa Cafe]] | CD | n/a | OECD 333 | Remastered, includes bonus track |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{Merzbow}} {{Authority control}}

[[Category:Merzbow albums]] [[Category:1996 albums]] [[Category:Relapse Records albums]]