CADAVER EM TRANSE-flexi
HIRS-LP/ANTI SPECTACLE-CD
MAX LOAD-LP
STRONG BOYS-EP/NÖ PÖWER-LP
EGO SUMMIT-LP/LANDVERRAAD-EP
EX HUMANS-LP/GLAM-LP
NOT SO QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT-comp
LAND OF NOD-comp/YOU CAN'T KILL ME…-comp
PILLS/MAUSER/VACCUUM-live
KOBAN/PORCELAIN GOD-live
[ed. note: I fucked up, POINTED STICKS–EP, BUREAUCRATS–45 and ZRU VOGUE–45 all belong on there, probably in lieu of the comps]
ANTI SPECTACLE – CD
Absolutely ripping hardcore punk from Japan, this six-track EP sounds a fierce battlecry, upholding the legacy of bands like DEATH SIDE with style and finesse. It's not too flashy or speed-crazy—along the lines of COLORED RICE MEN in terms of tempo, while some of the rock-influenced songs like "Bored to Death" recall the blazing glory of TETSU ARREY—but ANTI SPECTACLE are masters at pulling memorable hooks from the chaotic ether, and almost every chorus retains an instant sing-and-pogo-along quality. Readers whose spirits burn with the true fire, this will not let you down. (WB)
(Hardcore Kitchen)
GOD'S AMERICA – "Our Bones Will Bleach in the Sun" EP
Crushing, blasty hardcore with the bass turned waaaaay the hell up, there's nothing mind-expanding or outside the box about this, but they nail the dumbed-down MAN IS THE BASTARD sound pretty much on the head. Cool/whacked out artwork in the 50s-white-America-meets-war-victims-meets-zombies idiom, I can only hope this was named in honor of Royal Canadian Kilted Yaksmen. Hardly essential but you know what? I like power violence, and I like this record. (WB)
(A389)
HIRS – "The First 100 Songs" LP
Demented, perverse (in all the best ways) and obscenely prolific, I don't know how this band hasn't crossed my radar before. Shame on me, because this is a fucking onslaught, compiling two years of HIRS' brilliantly satanic trans* grind punishment (yes, you did read that correctly, and yes, dreams can come trve). The drums are so fast and precise that they've got to be programmed, and I imagine that's where this will lose a lot of listeners, but thankfully HIRS steers well clear of the death metal cybergrind schlock circuit in favor of hyper-blurred neo-powerviolence for da (queer anarcho-)punx. One hundred tracks is a lot to take in in one sitting, but inventive song structures, fist-to-the-cop's-jaw lyrical precision and some truly mind-exploding samples keep this from getting dragged into the blasty murk like so many grindcographies. If there's no God, this LP will inspire thousands of youths across Amerikkka to rise up, glitter at hand, and carve out their parents' eyeballs. (WB)
(self-released)
SOCIETY NURSE – LP
Following up on an excellent debut 7", the latest entry from SOCIETY NURSE showcases a unit at the top of their game, dishing out ugly, caustic paeans to disappointment and humanity's collective sense of helplessness, taken over the top by its massively modern but filthy production and some killer bass tone. There's no denying the 80s US hardcore feel (especially the Midwest), but this is way too intelligent and off-the-wall to be dismissed as mere "retro" nostalgia fodder. SOCIETY NURSE is the sort of band that old heads and HOAX-worshipping neophytes can get together to recognize as the real fucking deal. Members of WALLS and BOOKBURNER, but who's counting? (WB)
(Iron Lung)
STRONG BOYS – "Can't Take It Back" EP
The first vinyl offering from Dublin's STRONG BOYS, this is grimy queer punk for the discerning mysterious leather guy. There's a definite late 70s proto-hardcore feel to the proceedings, replete with swaggering guitar and some truly putrid low-end vox. There's ten seconds of "Lexicon Devil" in there, and a whole lot of GERMS vibes overall (just check out their logo). There's a song about cybersex called "Cocktheft." What more do you need to know? STRONG BOYS, ruling it. (WB)
(self-released)
SWAMPWOLF – "The Brilliance of a Feral Mind" LP
Gloomy metal/punk crossover for the ADHD generation, this gaggle of freeks from Flagstaff happily delve into black metal (lots of black metal), thrash, powerviolence, and good ol' fashioned sludge-crusty HxC in their quest to become the heaviest beast in the southwestern U.S. While this ecumenical approach ensures that there's never a dull moment across a half-hour of playing time, the final result is a somewhat mish-mashed sound that fails to distinguish itself from the hundreds of similar bands whose members had their minds blown the first time HIS HERO IS GONE came on. Things really take a turn for the worse when the band takes a too-frequent left turn into elven power-metal realms, all the more disappointing when this emerges from a totally killer riff. Luckily, there's something redeeming to balance out every Malmsteen-worth guitar lick: vocals are spot-on and the pretty/gnarly dynamics they get going on songs like "Some People's Children" are supremely satisfying. Not bad at all, but with a little more stringent editing this could have really been a contender. (WB)
(Goin' Ape Shit / Morning Star)
WORN OUT – "Conform. Obey." EP
Tense, misanthropic and apparently straight edge grind/powerviolence from Chicago, this is a repress of their 2011 demo and some of the best midwestern fast I've heard since SFN. With a hearty dose of the crust in terms of both beats and production, WORN OUT bust out some huge riffs when they manage to slow down, and the piercing lead vocals are downright nasty. Totally unrelenting and not to be trifled with, posers are encouraged to please fuck off now. (WB)
(Diseased Audio)
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