Jihad 1978-1984 is one of those staggering historical anomalies that would up-end conventional rock logic as to the order and evolution of formal breakthroughs. Active from the late 70s into the early 80s in Canada, the trio of vocalist Ebra Ziron, guitarist/synth/electronics Aleh Kaheen and bassist/electronics David Sheftel took their formal models from groups that operated in the liminal zone between pro-rock No Wave and anti-rock Industrial, referencing Mars, Throbbing Gristle and SPK while future-visioning a music that would combine a fractured approach to sound collage with a ferocious take on improvised noise and psychedelia. The sound is dominated by Ziron's incredible vocals, perfectly pitched between the furies of Adris Hoyos of Harry Pussy and Junko of Hijokaidan, leaping from machine gun barracking to high, feedback-style post-tongue wipe-outs. The actual sonics are some of the most a-musical - though rock focussed - sounds I’ve ever heard on a recording from this time period, barely coalescing from a constantly shifting bed of electronics, single bass notes (that almost never imply rhythms) and sudden explosions of sheet metal guitar… this deluxe retrospective gathers their one major 'recording' from the time, a collaged piece take from portastudio recordings originally entitled "Erdang" that appeared on the cassette compilation "Stitching Small Tears". The atmosphere has a live-Industrial feel that is comparable to TG/SPK but the hysterical avant garde feel and brain-bombing force of the music aligns it more with a mind-boggling take on the more ferocious Hijokaidan sides, albeit filtered through a punk hi-jacking of 20th century experimental modes. Over on the flip there's a live recording from 1983 that pushes the boat even further out, with a huge live sound that at points approaches the Ozawa/Haino duets on some of the major Fushitsusha recordings, with monolithic single-note bass runs toppled by wildly overdriven guitar and those incredible, post-Patty/Junko vocals. The edition that VT has is the special, sub-edition that comes in a run of less than 200 copies and features a second bonus one-side etched LP with further live recordings and the whole deal comes in an oversize hard card cover collected in a stickered plastic bag with a massive black and white poster. Can't recall being so blown away by a reissue of this kind of historical magnitude in years. Suffice to say if you are in any way plugged into the whole VT aesthetic, you need this. Highest possible recommendation.