SONTA – Mile-a-minute dual vocal weirdness from Jakarta. While the nuts-and-bolts riffs upon which the songs are built are fast hardcore, plain and simple, nearly everything else, from the artwork to the use of, ahem, "somber" instrumental breakdowns feels like a nod to the more kvlt realms of black metal. Add to this already fucked-up formula a schizoid penchant for sampling (the sheer quantity making it near-impossible to figure out what here is original and what is borrowed) and a hearty dose of MR. BUNGLE-style circus freakout and you might start to get an idea of what you're in for here. Seriously, the flute solo(!) on 'Obat Macho…' is still blowing my mind on the fifth or six listen. One of a kind, that's for damn sure, and one of the coolest recordings I've come across in a while.
(12-song CD-R, lyrics included, myspace.com/legionproductions97)
HELLMAISTROZ – Coming from Monterrey, Mexico, this demo promises listeners a hearty dose of "infernal crust'n'roll," and that's exactly what is delivered—the slower side of WRETCHED comes to mind, and the looming specter of MOTÖRHEAD is never too far away. Catchy hooks and deliciously gritty vocals set this apart from more forgettable offerings in this often-formulaic style, and the raw-as-fuck production couldn't be more spot on. If I survive the industrial apocalypse and find myself crossing a Mad Max-style desert wasteland, this is the band I want to see playing to a roomful of shit-faced, leather-clad bikers.
(6-song CD-R, lyrics included, hellmaistroz@gmail.com, myspace.com/hellmaistroz)
SONS OF YOUNG – Vocally-driven punk from South Carolina, this band covers a pretty wide range of styles from twangy rockabilly-punk in the vein of SOCIAL DISTORTION to R.E.M.-style college rock. 'Digin' Myself To Hell' is definitely the stand-out track here, taking things in a darker direction that instantly had me thinking of THE WIPERS.
(4-song CD-R, lyrics included, sonsofyoung@gmail.com, babymoonrecords.com)
STREETS OF RAGE – Fun, exuberant punk from Glasgow that channels the frantic energy of BIG BOYS and early MINUTEMEN. Most songs here hover around the one-minute mark, which is more than enough time for these guys to develop and elaborate hooks that worm their way into one's head more and more with each listen. Also, I can't help but note that the end of 'I'm Gone' sounds like the theme song from King of the Hill. Awesome.
(7-song CD-R, no lyrics included, harry@methodistleisure.com)
MURDER CITY HOOLIGANS – A eighteen-song live set from this Australian Oi! posse, entitled Live & Kicking Heads. These guys take the ain't-broke-don't-fix-it attitude to this mix of covers (including that most willfully dubious of choices, a cut from Skrewdriver's early years), and original material, drawing from the formula set by SHAM 69 with great success. Their singer more or less embodies my platonic ideal of an Oi! vocalist, and the crowd sounds fucking stoked to be there; too bad the whole thing comes as a single, hour-long track, a decision that's likely to test the repeat-listening patience of all but the most dedicated punx 'n skins.
(CD-R, no lyrics, c/o Barry Smith, Unit 1, 833 Marion Road, Mitchell Park, South Australia, 5043, Australia)
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