SEX DWARF-Fvll Av Aska-EP
MALDITO PAIS-Los Inocentes Mueren-EP
DIVISION FOUR-12”
MAN IS THE BASTARD-both splits
HOAX-LP+live
PROXY-Police Car-EP
ECTOPLASM-Drone-EP
RAW NERVES-Futile Efforts-LP
MOB 47/KOSZMAR/DESPERAT-live
DEADFEST-live
MAN IS THE BASTARD/BLEEDING RECTUM–split LP
Deep Six's latest step towards reissuing the rightly-beloved MAN IS THE BASTARD catalog on vinyl, this is a 12" split with Ireland's BLEEDING RECTUM. The MITB side features some of their best, including the frantically uptempo "Kai Lai" and "She Board", one of the most aggressive slices of prog-core terror in the discography. While this record doesn't get as much love as collaborations with CAPITALIST CASUALTIES, the LOCUST and CROSSED OUT, I'd argue that it's equally noteworthy for having the best integration of Henry Barnes' genre-expanding electronic experiments, which here take on the texture of some hypermanic Geiger counter. BLEEDING RECTUM offers a relatively straightforward take on hardcore punk, and when they take off the distortion for a melodic interlude you can really tell this was recorded in the early 90s—if they stripped away the fast punk elements I could even see this getting some air time in the Alternative Nation days of MTV (which sounds like more of an insult than it actually is). As we've come to expect by now, the reissue itself is of the highest quality, with great sound and incredibly crisp artwork (the better to see the torture with, natch). While the BLEEDING RECTUM material is perhaps less essential than MITB's, there's not a weak song to be found on either side, and there's no denying its place as a crucial part of power violence history. (WB)
(Deep Six)
TERRORIST–Death Culture Economy–LP
The debut full-length from these pissed-off Winnipeg thrashers, this is anthemic blasty hardcore for the ADD generation, packed with a whole lot of variety and some awesomely inventive drum work. This took me a couple of spins to get into at first, but after a while the catchy guitar leads wore me down, and I can't deny being charmed by their surprisingly jazzy tendencies—I could see these guys getting a lot of comparisons to NOMEANSNO, albeit in the context of fastcore. Lyrically the focus is on the grim political realities of modern life, and the (badass) extended outro is built around a sample of Mumia Abu-Jamal. Those who grind with an open mind should definitely give this a spin, while the purists…eh, fuck the purists. (WB)
(Harvest King)
SIDE EFFECTS–More to Fear–LP
Taking the time to put loose studs inside the your record sleeves? Pretty fucking hilarious, if you ask me. Despite the fact that they've been active for a few years—they just did a full U.S. tour this summer—I actually only saw these Oakland punx for the first time when they opened for MOB 47 last week. Even with some technical difficulties, they put on a fun, energetic set, and you can tell these kids are just goddamned stoked to be doing their thing. Musically, lyrically and visually, SIDE EFFECTS do a pretty run-of-the-mill take on UK82 worship, steering clear of more crusty influences in favor of straight-ahead hardcore with some antecedents in the DC scene of yore. While the framework is explicitly political, it's also generic enough that it's hard to take anything too seriously, and my mind honestly goes blank when I hear anything involving the phrase "American Dream". Still, for what they're aiming for, this is about as solid an effort as you're likely to find in the year 2013, even if it's not trying to be the Next Big Thing™. (WB)
(Shithammer/Thincharge)
