Top Ten:
CHARLES DE GOAL-Algorythmes-LP
THE DISHRAGS-Three-LP
COLD INSTITUTION-EP/SCREAMING SNEAKERS-EP
LOW LIFE-Dogging-LP
REBARKER-12”/CRUEL FRIENDS-EP
ENSLAVE/PAZAHORA-split/DARFÜR/AUTUUS?-split
MAAILMANLOPPU/KUUDES SILMÄ-split
WHITEHORSE/SAVAGE REPUBLIC/FOSTER BODY-live
RHYTHM OF CRUELTY/EXTINCTION OF MANKIND-live
INTERNAL ROT/FORCED INTO FEMININITY-live
FUCK YOU PAY ME – LP
Cut-rate shit punk from deep Clevo; I’m still having trouble believing this shares
a member with 9 SHOCKS TERROR. Musically, it’s just whatever; your standard, run-
of-the-mill throwback hardcore, nothing innovative, but at least they play pretty fast and
competent. Vocally, however, it’s a fucking mess, alternating between ultra-annoying
high-pitched shrieks and some more talked-out parts that sound like an ANGRY
SAMOANS knockoff. A glance at the lyrics and liner notes quickly took this from
“boring” to “no, I actually hate this,” a thin veneer of bravado masking an obvious chip
on their collective shoulder about not being accepted by “self-entitled arrogant
PUSSIES” such as myself. Punk scene Illuminati or not, this band will probably playing
Now That’s Class until the end of time... party on, brodozers. (WB)
(Schizophrenic)
ENSLAVE / PAZAHORA – split CD
This split is definitely worth grabbing for expansive hXc heads. Tokyo’s
ENSLAVE give us four more tracks of epic screamo-crust, and though it’s a notch or two
below their Far East Hardcore Punk LP, they deserve credit for carving out a unique
sound somewhere between CATHARSIS, ENVY, and metallic D-beat. The dual vocals
are compelling as ever, and the uplifting “Out Of Society” reminds me of PAINTBOX’s
genre-exploding Trip, Trance, and Travelling LP, while the last song unfortunately goes
into some pretty campy chug territory. I’d never heard of Singapore’s PAZAHORA
before this, but wow, totally blown away by their side, a furious, passionate blast of
galloping melocrust that actually merits the comparison to ICTUS and FROM ASHES
TRAGEDY RISE. The recordings are fuckin’ raw in the best way possible, giving the
guitars harmonies a nice layer of grit while avoiding the sterile feel that’s come to
colonize far too much of this style. I’ll be digging up their entire discography, thank you
very much. (WB)
(MCR)
AGE OF WOE / 100 YEARS – split EP
Oh boy, where to begin with this one... two sides of “catchy” metallic hardcore
from Sweden, I think this is supposed to have a crusty edge but I’m really not getting
that. AGE OF WOE take a death metal tone into the realm of groovy hardcore, with a
mix that basically turns all the guitars into mush when they aren’t doing leads. This is
some windmill-friendly shit, and I’m truly embarrassed for the band when I say that the
vocals kinda remind me of misogynist crabcore darlings ATTILA. 100 YEARS don’t
fare any better, kicking their side off with some arpeggiated synth-bass that really misses
the mark, not to mention the jazzy funk lick that comes in halfway through. Like AGE
OF WOE, they just feel like they’re trying too hard, and the result is another example of
what I’m going to start referring to as dark dogecore: “such tuff. wow. much evil.” (WB)
(Give Praise / Suicide)
CRUEL FRIENDS – “Mittags in Deutschland” EP
Don’t let the cute baby on the cover fool you, this is some gnarly, grinding
hardcore in the vein of SVFFER or HEXIS, without the latter’s pesky demoniac vibes.
There’s something in the waters of Central Europe right now that’s making everyone go
fast as fuck, and I’m certainly not gonna complain, though this only lasts about ten
seconds before plunging into one of the best, heaviest breakdowns I’ve heard in quite
some time (and that’s coming from someone who’s very anti-breakdown as a rule). After
that, there’s no letting up, just a raging, masterful blur of modern German hardcore with
great tone and just enough dynamics to keep things flowing. Lyrically, the band manages
to be inventive and off-the-wall without feeling silly. Damn good, to be sure, and I’ll
look forward to more. (WB)
(Meta Matter / Kink)
BEARMACE – “Cold Ones” EP
Mid-tempo hardcore with a nice dose of the fuzzz, this is a cool little nugget from
Montreal’s BEARMACE. Throat-ripping vocals set a nice pace from the start, and
there’s some solid riffs to sink your teeth into along with a solid rhythm section. A great
mix brings it all together, and the guitars have a nice layer of noize, although to be
honest, I think that could have been emphasized a bit more. A minor complaint, all things
considered, and certainly not one that should stop anyone from checking this out. (WB)
(Zaxxon)
Saturday, January 3, 2015
July 2014 – #374
Top Ten:
GOOD THROB-Fuck Off-LP
PRIMATE RESEARCH-Final-EP
RADIOACTIVITY-LP/DISTURD-45
GAS RAG-Beats Off-LP
AHNA/CETASCEAN-split LP/OSK-10"
CONFRONT-LP/LUBRICANTS-45
ELSINORES-Dreams of Youth-LP
'O' LEVEL-Pseudo Punk-LP
ZYANOSE/FRENZY/ABSOLUT/ZANNA NERA-live
HIGH FUNCTIONING FLESH/CRIMSON SCARLET-live
GENTLE ART OF CHOKIN/RESURRECTIONISTS – split LP
Two sides of first-rate Euro-style emoviolence, this is a must-have
for fans of modern-day heavies like SVFFER and LENTIC WATERS. I beg
the reader to see past GENTLE ART OF CHOKIN’s terrible name (I guess
it’s a reference to some fancy gold plates you can buy on TV or
something?) in order to see that they’re making some seriously fierce
grind/screamo/crust, ending up sounding somewhat like German
hardcore’s answer to CLOUD RAT and SIXBREWBANTHA. RESURRECTIONISTS
bring their own mathy take on a comparable sound, trading in some of
the manic overstimulation of the flipside for a focus on precision and
to-the-gut hardcore. Not a wasted note on either side, just firm,
efficient grind for the brutal kids. (WB)
(IFB / React with Protest / Moment of Collapse)
ROBOCOP/DETROIT – split LP
This is a repress of the 2012 split between two newer bands making
waves in the North American power violence scene, titled Dead
Language, Foreign Bodies. ROBOCOP stay true to genre form with a
chunky take on the traditional hardcore blasting, adding some
intelligence to the lyrics that I can't say I expected from a grind
band named ROBOCOP. They veer a little too far into metallic hXc for
my taste at times, and that major-scale riff on "Room 641A" kinda hurt
my soul, but they also manage to pull off a pretty sweet sax solo on
the tongue-in-cheek "Feminism Über Alles", and I really liked the,
ahem, experimental pastiche "Zapruder Frame 265." DETROIT take a far
more shit-fi approach to the whole thing, fusing punishing-yet-thin
breakdowns with blurry fastcore and some straight-up punk beats in
there for good measure. The vocals sound desperate and pained in the
best way, adding a slightly screamotional appeal, and they even
stretch into under-two-minute melodic epicness on "Into You". Hearing
this split is making me nostalgic for Squamish's infamous Fastcore
Fest, maybe I'll have to head up there again this year… (WB)
(Give Praise)
PROSPERITY DENIED/SIX SCORE – split LP
A dual slice of metallic hardcore rage from Austria, these bands take
different approaches yet fit together quite well. Wien’s SIX SCORE
blast through eleven tracks of grinding dark hardcore, adding samples
and a nice touch of death metal to the proceedings along with the
requisite double-kick d-beat. If you can hang with the metallic side
of grind you’ll find a lot to like here, although I found the vocals
and overall production to be kind of a grating after a few songs. They
definitely lost me with some of the moshcore breakdowns on the second
half, oof. Speaking of death metal and dubious mosh parts, PROSPERITY
DENIED from Mödling get points for naming a song “Fermented Grapes of
Wrath”, but a more punk XIBALBA is just not something I’ve been
looking for. Why anyone would want to use a PARLIAMENT bass-synth on a
metal record is beyond me, and the DANZIG-goes-melodic-hardcore
experiment on the closing track? No, thanks. (WB)
(Bloody Lips)
WAKE/REHASHED – split EP
Where the goofy meets the grind. REHASHED hail from Saskatoon,
layering their fun, throwbacky palm-muted hardcore with a whole mess
of thrash leads, unconcerned with who they make giggle in the process.
To be fair, these guys are about as tight as it gets, and definitely
know how to shred, even if they haven't made the crucial realization
that it doesn't always actually make the songs good. Calgary's WAKE go
through the usual grindcore motions, but in the absence of any
dynamics, tasty riffs or interesting vocals it gets pretty monotonous
pretty fast (no pun intended). Completists will no doubt want to hear
this for themselves, but for the rest of us this is honestly a pretty
inessential offering. (WB)
(Give Praise)
CLOUD RAT/ORGULLO PRIMITIVO – split EP
If you haven't heard Michigan's CLOUD RAT by now, I don't know what to
tell you; this is probably the fourth or fifth time I've written about
them in these pages, and they've been consistently putting out some of
the most compelling grind and atmospheric black metal-infused hardcore
to come out in years. The material here builds on the massive Moksha
LP, with a harsh, crisp production that gets downright beautiful at a
moment's notice, only to drop back into a smothering whirlwind of
blasts. The slower parts on "Skin Flowers" make their recently outing
with THOU make a whole lot more sense, but CLOUD RAT are nothing if
not a band that refuses easy comparisons. The flipside by ORGULLO
PRIMITIVO ("Primitive Orgasm") is a out-and-out experimental fuckfest,
moving as seamlessly as one could possibly hope between spastic bursts
of multi-voice spoken word poetry, solos for drum and vibraphone (!),
and some seriously creepy drum-and-vox "black metal". Zoinks! (WB)
(IFB)
PRIMATE RESEARCH – "Final" EP
Man, it's been a minute since I heard an American band that went for
the early 2000s neocrust thing and just fucking nailed it. No skramz,
no post-rock buildup yawn fests, just siqq'n'brutal d-beat-centric
punk played with intelligent fury and an unquestionable influence from
the scene that produced DEATHREAT and HIS HERO IS GONE. A power
violence element reveals itself a few tracks in, adding some extra
speed along with a sharp-yet-primal sense of dynamics. Personnel from
COMBATWOUNDEDVETERAN and HOLY MOUNTAIN make the success of this
Tampa-based unit a no-brainer, and if you need any more convincing,
they also manange a fucking great take on DISRUPT's "Squandered" with
the singer from SACRIDOSE. (WB)
(Financial Ruin/All We Know)
June 2014 – #373
Top Ten:
CRISIS–Kollectiv–2xLP
CEMETERY–12”
BODY BETRAYAL–Soft Cage–12"
S.H.I.T.–Collective Unconscious–EP
DEMON BROTHER–12”/SEA OF SHIT-10"
DIE SCHACHT–EP
MORAL HEX-12"
VÅNNA INGET–Ingen Botten–12”
BALCANES–45/RAPTUORUS GRIEF–EP
THOU/CLOUD RAT–live
BLOOD PATROL – "From Beyond and Below" CD
Fun, retro vibes thrash/hardcore from Darmstadt, Germany, drenched in B-horror
devotion and recommended for heshin' use only. The drummer is a fuckin'
machine, and they've got more than enough hot lixx to bring the full thrash
assault on tracks like "Generation Dead" and "Full Thrash Assault". There's the
occasional break from the formula—"Crossed" introduces some ST. VITUS-
inspired doom wails, nice—but if you've found yourself lamenting the lack of
KREATOR worship in modern hardcore, you might have just found paradise. The
CD also includes their slightly rawer 2010 demo as a bonus, and it's as good, if
not even better than the newer, more polished recordings. (WB)
(Drunk With Power)
Friday, January 2, 2015
May 2014 – #372
Top Ten:
BELLICOSE MINDS-The Buzz and Howl Sessions-10”
FUNERAL PARADE-LP
HEXIS-LP/RITUAL CONTROL-EP
KOMPLOTT-Sei Vivo, Sei Moro A Nessuno Importa-12”
DERROTA-LP/SUICIDAS-EP
SIMPLY SAUCER-45/THE SLIZZ-EP
SECRET PROSTITUTES-LP/ALERTA!-EP
RED MONKEY-How We Learned To Live Like a Bomb-LP
VASTUM/THE BODY/NEGATIVLAND-live
NOMAD/1984/STILLSUIT-live
HAYMAKER – "Let Them Rot" EP
A nasty little slice of hXc attack, Hamilton’s HAYMAKER bark and slam their way through four burly songs in about as many minutes on this, their umpteenth 7”. With personnel from CHOKEHOLD and LEFT FOR DEAD, you know this is going to be dark and aggressive, but everything here is honestly kinda generic compared to either of those pioneering acts. Lyrics about copdeath, poverty and hatred for fuckin’ society, man, round out a totally solid package that should impress fans of this label and new school hardcore in general. (WB)
(A389)
CONFLICT – "Live in London 2013" LP
For better or worse, this pretty much embodies every cliché for a live punk record: totally solid on its own terms, yet inessential for all but the most dedicated (or perhaps geographically isolated) fans of the militant anarcho-staple that is CONFLICT. The mix here is actually quite excellent, with great guitar tone, and the band was definitely on their game the night this was recorded, but even with all that I still can’t imagine ever wanting to put this on over the classic studio recordings. For a live set, there’s actually not much by way of banter, and aside from an introduction by Steve from LOST CHERREES, the only supplementary material we get is a CD reproduction of the LP. Make no mistake, CONFLICT is still a sight to see live—they ruled when I caught them in Hollywood in 2007, too bad RUBELLA BALLET had to cancel day of!—and anyone who caught Colin Jerwood’s comments on that police chopper that crashed in Glasgow last year knows they can still stir up a controversy with the best of them. Wait a sec, is that dude playing a five-string bass on the cover? Mind = blown. (WB)
(Antisociety)
CATHARSIS – "Light From A Dead Star I" 2xLP
Probably long-since sold out by the time you'll be reading this review, this is the first half of the four-LP discography reissue for the seminal ’90s anarchist hardcore band, representing their self-titled EP and the ever-so-epic first full-length Samsara. Having totally missed them in their heyday and never really having felt a connection to the music, I feel oddly positioned to review a band that means so much to so many. Personal taste aside, it’s obvious that CATHARSIS occupy a critical space in the lineage of modern hardcore punk, anticipating the emotive, melodic neocrust of the new millennium while retaining the East Coast metallic tuffness of their Holy Terror brethren INTEGRITY and RINGWORM. It's impossible to talk about CATHARSIS without mentioning its relationship to Crimethinc., of course, but I don't feel the need to dedicate any more ink to that often self-parodic organization/label/tendency/fun club, so I leave the reader to make what they will of said connection. Returning to the record at hand, the sheer abundance of monumental riffs on Samsara elevates things to whole other level from the first 7"—the lead that closes out 'Choose Your Heaven' stands out for me—but there’s also a good bit of filler to wade through on the way, and the more-than-occasional nod to Tom Morello grounds everything firmly in the late 90s (not necessarily a bad thing). With what feels like a thousand and one literary and philosophical allusions, haunted by the dual figures of St. Paul and Nietzsche's Zarathustra, this is bombastic anti-Christian agit-prop, with evocative lyrics and some truly stellar artwork that set it apart from the herd of imitators that followed. Following on their recent reunion, this reissue will be a godsend (get it?!?) for the dumpster-diving masses and anarcho-collecting élite alike…at least if you got your pre-order in on time. (WB)
(Crimethinc/Refuse)
HEXIS – Abalam" LP
I've been loving these Copenhagen-based black metal mindfucks ever since I reviewed their X 7" in these pages a few years back, so when I got my reviewer copy I decided to do this proper, waiting until sundown and lighting some Jesus candles to set the proper mood. As their first full-length, Abalam represents the pinnacle of the avant-meets-hardcore approach they've been honing for the past couple of years, an exhausting drag through twisted industrial dronescapes that never loses focus or a foreboding sense of nausea. Think somewhere between PORTAL, INFERNAL STRONGHOLD, and, I dunno, ORANSSI PAZUZU, yet nothing like any of them. As the perfect distillation of their earlier material, Abalam is a totally satisfying experience, but what I’m really curious to see is where they’re going to go from here. Speculation aside, I’m definitely excited to witness these demoniacs when they hit the U.S. this fall with PRIMITIVE MAN. (WB)
(Halo of Flies/Music Fear Satan)
BELLICOSE MINDS-The Buzz and Howl Sessions-10”
FUNERAL PARADE-LP
HEXIS-LP/RITUAL CONTROL-EP
KOMPLOTT-Sei Vivo, Sei Moro A Nessuno Importa-12”
DERROTA-LP/SUICIDAS-EP
SIMPLY SAUCER-45/THE SLIZZ-EP
SECRET PROSTITUTES-LP/ALERTA!-EP
RED MONKEY-How We Learned To Live Like a Bomb-LP
VASTUM/THE BODY/NEGATIVLAND-live
NOMAD/1984/STILLSUIT-live
HAYMAKER – "Let Them Rot" EP
A nasty little slice of hXc attack, Hamilton’s HAYMAKER bark and slam their way through four burly songs in about as many minutes on this, their umpteenth 7”. With personnel from CHOKEHOLD and LEFT FOR DEAD, you know this is going to be dark and aggressive, but everything here is honestly kinda generic compared to either of those pioneering acts. Lyrics about copdeath, poverty and hatred for fuckin’ society, man, round out a totally solid package that should impress fans of this label and new school hardcore in general. (WB)
(A389)
CONFLICT – "Live in London 2013" LP
For better or worse, this pretty much embodies every cliché for a live punk record: totally solid on its own terms, yet inessential for all but the most dedicated (or perhaps geographically isolated) fans of the militant anarcho-staple that is CONFLICT. The mix here is actually quite excellent, with great guitar tone, and the band was definitely on their game the night this was recorded, but even with all that I still can’t imagine ever wanting to put this on over the classic studio recordings. For a live set, there’s actually not much by way of banter, and aside from an introduction by Steve from LOST CHERREES, the only supplementary material we get is a CD reproduction of the LP. Make no mistake, CONFLICT is still a sight to see live—they ruled when I caught them in Hollywood in 2007, too bad RUBELLA BALLET had to cancel day of!—and anyone who caught Colin Jerwood’s comments on that police chopper that crashed in Glasgow last year knows they can still stir up a controversy with the best of them. Wait a sec, is that dude playing a five-string bass on the cover? Mind = blown. (WB)
(Antisociety)
CATHARSIS – "Light From A Dead Star I" 2xLP
Probably long-since sold out by the time you'll be reading this review, this is the first half of the four-LP discography reissue for the seminal ’90s anarchist hardcore band, representing their self-titled EP and the ever-so-epic first full-length Samsara. Having totally missed them in their heyday and never really having felt a connection to the music, I feel oddly positioned to review a band that means so much to so many. Personal taste aside, it’s obvious that CATHARSIS occupy a critical space in the lineage of modern hardcore punk, anticipating the emotive, melodic neocrust of the new millennium while retaining the East Coast metallic tuffness of their Holy Terror brethren INTEGRITY and RINGWORM. It's impossible to talk about CATHARSIS without mentioning its relationship to Crimethinc., of course, but I don't feel the need to dedicate any more ink to that often self-parodic organization/label/tendency/fun club, so I leave the reader to make what they will of said connection. Returning to the record at hand, the sheer abundance of monumental riffs on Samsara elevates things to whole other level from the first 7"—the lead that closes out 'Choose Your Heaven' stands out for me—but there’s also a good bit of filler to wade through on the way, and the more-than-occasional nod to Tom Morello grounds everything firmly in the late 90s (not necessarily a bad thing). With what feels like a thousand and one literary and philosophical allusions, haunted by the dual figures of St. Paul and Nietzsche's Zarathustra, this is bombastic anti-Christian agit-prop, with evocative lyrics and some truly stellar artwork that set it apart from the herd of imitators that followed. Following on their recent reunion, this reissue will be a godsend (get it?!?) for the dumpster-diving masses and anarcho-collecting élite alike…at least if you got your pre-order in on time. (WB)
(Crimethinc/Refuse)
HEXIS – Abalam" LP
I've been loving these Copenhagen-based black metal mindfucks ever since I reviewed their X 7" in these pages a few years back, so when I got my reviewer copy I decided to do this proper, waiting until sundown and lighting some Jesus candles to set the proper mood. As their first full-length, Abalam represents the pinnacle of the avant-meets-hardcore approach they've been honing for the past couple of years, an exhausting drag through twisted industrial dronescapes that never loses focus or a foreboding sense of nausea. Think somewhere between PORTAL, INFERNAL STRONGHOLD, and, I dunno, ORANSSI PAZUZU, yet nothing like any of them. As the perfect distillation of their earlier material, Abalam is a totally satisfying experience, but what I’m really curious to see is where they’re going to go from here. Speculation aside, I’m definitely excited to witness these demoniacs when they hit the U.S. this fall with PRIMITIVE MAN. (WB)
(Halo of Flies/Music Fear Satan)
April 2014 – #371
Top Ten: SACRILEGE-It's Time To Face The Reaper-2xLP
ZIELONE ZABKI-Zgorzelec 1988-LP
THE INDOORS-351-LP
SUBORDINATE-LP/ FORWARD/TEARGAS-split EP FLAGITIOUS IDIOSYNCRACY IN THE DILAPIDATION-Wallow-LP
DOOM-Corrupt Fucking System-LP
ARCHAIC-EP/DECRANEO-LP
CHRISTER PETTERSSON-Empatihaveri-EP
DESKARRIADOS-EP/JIMMY SMACK-45
RAGANA-live
DRUGSTORE – "Deathwork b/w Surface" 45
DRUGSTORE hail from Philly and play bluesy guitar-driven rawk that fans of MUDHONEY might be able get into. It's not super tight, and the vocals are pretty overwrought, but man, the spoken-word-through-reverb part on Deathwork totally had me waxing nostalgic for that BUTTHOLE SURFERS radio hit "Pepper". The b-side ups the stoner/psych vibes significantly, and it's a positive direction for these guys, coming off as sort of a C-rate LOOP only with bar-rock vocals. (WB)
(self-released)
MISERY – "The Beginning" 12"
I've actually been on a huge MISERY kick for the past few weeks, so I was stoked to see my reviewer copy of this one. This is a 25th anniversary EP from these intensely influential Minneapolis crust stalwarts, with a couple of original songs, a pair of rerecordings from early demos ("Midnight" and "New Years"), and covers of SACRILEGE's "Lifeline" and CHROME's "3rd From The Sun". The title tracks kicks things off with an acoustic guitar and melodic female vocals, transitioning into a stenchy 80s style but preserving the acoustic layer for good measure. It's about as weird and awkward as it sounds, but it sorta works, even if the vocals dip into AOR cheeze territory at times. The other original, "Armageddon", is a much more solid slice of gloomy, no-frills UK-style crust, hinting at dark punk in a manner akin to recent HELLBASTARD. The two demo tracks of yore are exactly as essential as you'd expect, crushingly grimy anthems totally done justice on this recording, and the covers—which feature vocals from Al Long of NAUSEA, also a former member—are a total gas, full of classic punk energy. Of course this can't touch Who's The Fool or the early EPs, but it remains a welcome addition to the catalog, and certainly a must-grab for diehards if only for the demo redux. (WB)
(Inimical)
HIDINGINSIDEVICTIMS – LP
Played with these guys at the Biko House in Santa Barbara when they were on tour with Holland's SUICIDE STATE, and I remember them as sweet, goofy dudes. This is HIDINGINSIDEVICTIMS first full-length, a nicely-polished take on modern crust with doses of hardcore and maybe even a little bit of street punk in the catchy breakdowns. The barrage of samples over the opening track comes off like the bastard child of DYSTOPIA and RWAKE, only to descend into treble-driven neocrust that occasionally gives way to a more straight-ahead metallic D-beat assault. These guys have some serious riffs up their sleeves, and if you can get into the soaring, full production there's a lot to enjoy here. (WB)
(Rotten to the Core/Dead Rodent/Svoboda/Chaos Alliance/Blackout Brigade)
ZIELONE ZABKI-Zgorzelec 1988-LP
THE INDOORS-351-LP
SUBORDINATE-LP/ FORWARD/TEARGAS-split EP FLAGITIOUS IDIOSYNCRACY IN THE DILAPIDATION-Wallow-LP
DOOM-Corrupt Fucking System-LP
ARCHAIC-EP/DECRANEO-LP
CHRISTER PETTERSSON-Empatihaveri-EP
DESKARRIADOS-EP/JIMMY SMACK-45
RAGANA-live
DRUGSTORE – "Deathwork b/w Surface" 45
DRUGSTORE hail from Philly and play bluesy guitar-driven rawk that fans of MUDHONEY might be able get into. It's not super tight, and the vocals are pretty overwrought, but man, the spoken-word-through-reverb part on Deathwork totally had me waxing nostalgic for that BUTTHOLE SURFERS radio hit "Pepper". The b-side ups the stoner/psych vibes significantly, and it's a positive direction for these guys, coming off as sort of a C-rate LOOP only with bar-rock vocals. (WB)
(self-released)
MISERY – "The Beginning" 12"
I've actually been on a huge MISERY kick for the past few weeks, so I was stoked to see my reviewer copy of this one. This is a 25th anniversary EP from these intensely influential Minneapolis crust stalwarts, with a couple of original songs, a pair of rerecordings from early demos ("Midnight" and "New Years"), and covers of SACRILEGE's "Lifeline" and CHROME's "3rd From The Sun". The title tracks kicks things off with an acoustic guitar and melodic female vocals, transitioning into a stenchy 80s style but preserving the acoustic layer for good measure. It's about as weird and awkward as it sounds, but it sorta works, even if the vocals dip into AOR cheeze territory at times. The other original, "Armageddon", is a much more solid slice of gloomy, no-frills UK-style crust, hinting at dark punk in a manner akin to recent HELLBASTARD. The two demo tracks of yore are exactly as essential as you'd expect, crushingly grimy anthems totally done justice on this recording, and the covers—which feature vocals from Al Long of NAUSEA, also a former member—are a total gas, full of classic punk energy. Of course this can't touch Who's The Fool or the early EPs, but it remains a welcome addition to the catalog, and certainly a must-grab for diehards if only for the demo redux. (WB)
(Inimical)
HIDINGINSIDEVICTIMS – LP
Played with these guys at the Biko House in Santa Barbara when they were on tour with Holland's SUICIDE STATE, and I remember them as sweet, goofy dudes. This is HIDINGINSIDEVICTIMS first full-length, a nicely-polished take on modern crust with doses of hardcore and maybe even a little bit of street punk in the catchy breakdowns. The barrage of samples over the opening track comes off like the bastard child of DYSTOPIA and RWAKE, only to descend into treble-driven neocrust that occasionally gives way to a more straight-ahead metallic D-beat assault. These guys have some serious riffs up their sleeves, and if you can get into the soaring, full production there's a lot to enjoy here. (WB)
(Rotten to the Core/Dead Rodent/Svoboda/Chaos Alliance/Blackout Brigade)
March 2014 – #370
FLESH WORLD-LP
STIGMATHE-both EPs
PERMANENT RUIN-Tlazolteol-EP
DEEP WOUND-I Saw It-EP
RAKTA-LP/NAPOLNARIZ-45
LAST CHAOS/VAARALLINEN-split/KOROVA-lathe
NEMESIS-Gyou-Shou-EP
BASTARD NOISE/LACK OF INTEREST-split
METRO CULT-45/VIDEO-45
PESADILLA DISTOPIKA/VAASKA/COLD CIRCUITS-live
AORTAORTA–“Violent Meditation” LP
A meandering, moody slice of dark rock from Tampere, Finland, this is AORTAORTA’s second full-length. Even as they hop from one style to the next—the brooding intro track had me expecting left-field crust, only to morph into some dreamily melodic post-punk—there’s a masterful sense of coherence that keeps things flowing throughout. To their credit, the band isn’t afraid to experiment within their undeniably dialed-in sound, a spirit that’s most effectively demonstrated on the droningly avant “Medical Violence”. When the sound veers towards noise-rock territory, it can get a bit pedestrian, but in the end they hit mark more often then not. It’s always cool to find bands that feel familiar while lacking any obvious reference point, and AORTAORTA are just such a diamond in the rough. (WB)
(Ramekuukkeli)
CRÕN – "Low and Drowning" LP
Another dose of also-ran sludge metal via the Pacific Northwest, this is the kind of music I worry people will think I'm talking about when I say I love doom. By sticking to the well-established formula of chugging, crust-ish sludge with clean guitar passages, CRÕN doesn't do anything too unforgivable here, but there's also nothing in terms of tone, songwriting, or vocal presence to set this apart from everyone else lining up to worship RWAKE and GRAVES AT SEA. A brief foray into their online presence informs me that these boys also "like to crush some cowboy-nachos and party at 'her place'." Wow, I am passing on this so hard. (WB)
AUTONOMY/STREET EATERS – split EP
Even though I was pretty stoked to see this team-up, this definitely exceeded my expectations across the board. I've always enjoyed STREET EATERS drum-n-bass antics live, but I couldn't be happier about the dark turn they've taken here, with a basement WIPERS vibe and the perfect dose of RUNAWAYS snot to offset the dual vocal harmonies. Likewise, while the anarcho influences are still felt, Carbondale heroes AUTONOMY show us a new dimension on both of their tracks, serving up a dreamy punk take on ECSTASY-era MY BLOODY VALENTINE on "Limerence (A Game of)", followed by a MELVINS-y Pailhead cover ("Man Should Surrender") that pretty much rules. Both bands refuse to get stuck in a rut, and who could argue with the results? No regrets, this is just a fantastic split. (WB)
(Off The Books)
SATAN'S SATYRS/OHMWAR– split EP
A limited edition split with one original and one BLACK FLAG
interpretation by each contestant. Biker dudes SATAN'S SATYRS go
pretty far out on their side, tackling Loose Nut's "Modern Man" with a
satisfyingly SABBATH-y intro/outro that descends into some fuzzy
MUDHONEY garage/metal that does alright by Ginn and co. This is
coupled with "Was Ya Expecting Us?", an unexpected instrumental with a
variety of sounds and some undeniable surf/exotica overtones. Pretty
sweet. I'm downright intrigued by Glasgow's OHMWAR, whose "Snake" is a
satisfying slice of guitar-driven darkness, modern sounding but not
without its own sense of atmosphere. Liking the subtle use of effects
that don't interfere with the driving pulsebeat, plus one of the leads
sounds just like FAUST's "I've Got My Car And My TV". Regretably,
their "Nervous Breakdown" cover is just kinda gutless, super
indie-rock sounding in the worst way. Aside from that, this is a
pretty decent slab, even if I can't say I necessarily get it as a
total package. (WB)
(At War With False Noise)
STIGMATHE-both EPs
PERMANENT RUIN-Tlazolteol-EP
DEEP WOUND-I Saw It-EP
RAKTA-LP/NAPOLNARIZ-45
LAST CHAOS/VAARALLINEN-split/KOROVA-lathe
NEMESIS-Gyou-Shou-EP
BASTARD NOISE/LACK OF INTEREST-split
METRO CULT-45/VIDEO-45
PESADILLA DISTOPIKA/VAASKA/COLD CIRCUITS-live
AORTAORTA–“Violent Meditation” LP
A meandering, moody slice of dark rock from Tampere, Finland, this is AORTAORTA’s second full-length. Even as they hop from one style to the next—the brooding intro track had me expecting left-field crust, only to morph into some dreamily melodic post-punk—there’s a masterful sense of coherence that keeps things flowing throughout. To their credit, the band isn’t afraid to experiment within their undeniably dialed-in sound, a spirit that’s most effectively demonstrated on the droningly avant “Medical Violence”. When the sound veers towards noise-rock territory, it can get a bit pedestrian, but in the end they hit mark more often then not. It’s always cool to find bands that feel familiar while lacking any obvious reference point, and AORTAORTA are just such a diamond in the rough. (WB)
(Ramekuukkeli)
CRÕN – "Low and Drowning" LP
Another dose of also-ran sludge metal via the Pacific Northwest, this is the kind of music I worry people will think I'm talking about when I say I love doom. By sticking to the well-established formula of chugging, crust-ish sludge with clean guitar passages, CRÕN doesn't do anything too unforgivable here, but there's also nothing in terms of tone, songwriting, or vocal presence to set this apart from everyone else lining up to worship RWAKE and GRAVES AT SEA. A brief foray into their online presence informs me that these boys also "like to crush some cowboy-nachos and party at 'her place'." Wow, I am passing on this so hard. (WB)
AUTONOMY/STREET EATERS – split EP
Even though I was pretty stoked to see this team-up, this definitely exceeded my expectations across the board. I've always enjoyed STREET EATERS drum-n-bass antics live, but I couldn't be happier about the dark turn they've taken here, with a basement WIPERS vibe and the perfect dose of RUNAWAYS snot to offset the dual vocal harmonies. Likewise, while the anarcho influences are still felt, Carbondale heroes AUTONOMY show us a new dimension on both of their tracks, serving up a dreamy punk take on ECSTASY-era MY BLOODY VALENTINE on "Limerence (A Game of)", followed by a MELVINS-y Pailhead cover ("Man Should Surrender") that pretty much rules. Both bands refuse to get stuck in a rut, and who could argue with the results? No regrets, this is just a fantastic split. (WB)
(Off The Books)
SATAN'S SATYRS/OHMWAR– split EP
A limited edition split with one original and one BLACK FLAG
interpretation by each contestant. Biker dudes SATAN'S SATYRS go
pretty far out on their side, tackling Loose Nut's "Modern Man" with a
satisfyingly SABBATH-y intro/outro that descends into some fuzzy
MUDHONEY garage/metal that does alright by Ginn and co. This is
coupled with "Was Ya Expecting Us?", an unexpected instrumental with a
variety of sounds and some undeniable surf/exotica overtones. Pretty
sweet. I'm downright intrigued by Glasgow's OHMWAR, whose "Snake" is a
satisfying slice of guitar-driven darkness, modern sounding but not
without its own sense of atmosphere. Liking the subtle use of effects
that don't interfere with the driving pulsebeat, plus one of the leads
sounds just like FAUST's "I've Got My Car And My TV". Regretably,
their "Nervous Breakdown" cover is just kinda gutless, super
indie-rock sounding in the worst way. Aside from that, this is a
pretty decent slab, even if I can't say I necessarily get it as a
total package. (WB)
(At War With False Noise)
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