August 2012 - #351

VEUVE SS – "Viscères" EP
A headscratcher of record from Lyon, France, VEUVE SS apparently
features members from 12XU and the sludgy OVERMARS. While the runic
logo and ultra-obscure artwork give off some decidedly "mysterious"
vibes, that's hardly enough to prepare one for the sonic mindfuck
within. No joke, this is a band that manages in a ten-minute span to
touch on straight-ahead fuzzy HC, blasty near-powerviolence, and even
a couple of (supremely satisfying) knuckle-dragging chug bits,
side-by-side with several tracks of droning, feedback-ridden doom
metal. It'd be an overstatement to say that it all comes together
seamlessly, but also a disservice to the work at hand, which derives
its essence from this proudly warped approach to songwriting. Good
shit. (WB)
(Echo Canyon / Flower of Carnage)

THE FORUM – "The Master's Wall" EP
Thrashy hardcore from Montréal with a solid dose of the crust. Most of
the stuff on here is pretty straightforward, and when the band does
experiment with the formula it's somewhat hit or miss: "Mercy For Now"
is by far the best song here, with some tremelo-picked speed riffs
that reminded me of MARTYRDÖD, but later on the band descends into
slower and shreddier realms that make the second half drag. Nothing
that reinvents the wheel, but "You should pay rent for living inside
my head" is one of the better delivered lines I've come across in a
while. Respect. (WB)
(Harsh Crust)

PERMANENT RUIN – "Theme for Castration" Flexi
Utterly essential shit from hands-down my favorite hardcore band in
the Bay Area right now, this piece o' plastic was put out by the
flexi-happy R.P.N.D. crew and features seven songs from PERMRU's 2011
demo tape. The extreme excellence of these recordings should be no
surprise to those of you who recognize some of these folks as alums of
IN DISGUST, CONDENADA, and SOURPATCH, but PERMANENT RUIN are in a
world unto themselves, a seething, grinding HC whirlwind with caustic
vocals, other-worldly blast beats, and guitar leads that would make a
second-rate Burning Spirits clone gag with envy. Seriously, if you
catch PERMANENT RUIN live and aren't moved, do the rest of us a favor
and light yourself on fire already. (WB)
(Radical Punks Never Die)

KAMI ADA – "Resistencia Libertad" EP
With an international lineup containing members from Colombia, Poland,
Indonesia, and Germany, KAMI ADA play indignant political hardcore
that blends the ultra-anthemic quality of melodic 90s anarcho-punk
with the one-two kick-snare throttle of thrashcore…very nice. The
vocals (sung in Spanish) are varied and excellent throughout, with
lyrics focused on xenophobia and the racist policies of Frontex, the
EU's border security agency. This record definitely grew on me with
each listen, and if I have any complaints about this 7", it's that
it's far too short! Seriously, I'd love to see what this band could
come up with on a full-length, at times this felt like the songs would
benefit from having more room to breathe. Nonetheless, a damn fine
introduction to a band worth keeping an eye on. (WB)
(Refuse / Up The Punx / Fucking Awesome Music Everyday / Emancypunx /
Aktiver Ausstand In Plastik)

ABUSE – "Manifest: 1994-2004 Discography" CD
A fifty-five track retrospective of this underrated d-beat band from
Sweden, this compiles the "Mördare" and "I Guds Namn" EPs, a split
with DISKONTO, comp and demo tracks as well as not one but two
previously unreleased sessions, one from 95-96 along with their final
set from 2004. The newest recordings (which confusingly appear first
on this compilation) are probably my least favorite, but the classic
releases are unceasingly solid, and I ended up enjoying the fact that
the recordings got rawer as the CD went on. The throat-shredding
vocals are a definitely highlight, sounding like the dude had to be
rushed to the hospital immediately after each recording, while the
fuzzed-out guitars provide some delightfully off-kilter solos that
alleviate any concern that this is merely another MOB 47 wannabe.
ABUSE deserve a higher position in the Scandinavian crust pantheon,
and this is a disc that is absolutely worth your time. (WB)
(Haunted Hotel)