Top Ten:
TEMPEST-live
SHARKPACT-live
PLEASURE LEFTISTS-live
BIMARKS-live
ISOTOPE-live
SCREAMING FEMALES-live
PRESSING ON-live
SEI HEXE-live
TEROKAL-live
BLOOD BENDER-live
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
November 2014 - #378
Top Ten:
SLAG-Mindslave-EP
XYMOX-Subsequent Pleasures-LP
BLOOD ROBOTS-LP
DEPARTURE KIDS-On The Go-LP
EXECUTIVE SLACKS-12"
PROTES BENGT-Påskstämning-EP
INSTITUTE-45/WIPERS-45
KNARK/KRÜGER-split EP
OVENS-EP/FRAU-EP
POIKKEUS/SBSM-live
SLAG – "Mindslave" EP
This is just so fucking on point. Proudly waving the banner of San Jose Supremacy, this first 7" launches SLAG straight into the pantheon of South Bay powerviolence alongside IN DISGUST (an obvious touchstone), GODSTOMPER, DEADPRESSURE, and T.A.D.R.O.E.V. Endlessly heavy with relentless blasting and some expertly blown-out production, this record emphasizes the best elements of crust-tinted grind with not a moment of filler. Great high and low vocals too; the only bummer worth noting is the lack of a lyric sheet. Tut tut, I could have at least used that to help set a cop car on fire. Fans of new-school grindviolence from ARCHAGATHUS to YOUR ENEMY: this is your new favorite shit. (WB)
(Regurgitated Semen)
VÅLDSAMT MOTSTÅND – “Gamla Goda Värderingar” EP
Swedish crust that bounces between death metal-infused chugging and
driving D-beat, complimented at times by an odd sense of melody. The
first song opens up with the death metal equivalent of a cheat beat,
but gets more bearable once the tempo kicks up, and the more hardcore
songs in the middle of the record are quite solid if you appreciate
epic vibes in this style. Unfortunately the band slows down again for
the plodding "Snake People", which has sick lyrics ('There will be no
burial for you in the lotus garden') but no real drive, ultimately
resolving into a mega-breakdown that’s about three sizes too tuff for me.
The two halves of their sound, which are never satisfyingly integrated, make this feel like a band that’s trying to pull from a smattering of influences, but still finding its own voice(s). (WB)
(Högre Tempo!)
RORT – “Warpath” LP
Manically riffy death-flavored grind from Melbourne, Australia, the fourteen tracks of RORT’s debut LP blur relentlessly into one another, making for an exhausting, almost nauseating listen (in this genre, not at all a bad thing). Precision drumming and brilliant tremolo leads win the day here—these guys know how to mine the noodle-y glory of ye old school death metal to perfection, and it makes the whole affair miles more fun than your run-o’-the-mill blastfest. There’s a more anthemic hXc element that occasionally comes to the fore, with some of the vocal hooks bringing a slightly moshy feel. Wrathful lyrics take on societal disgust as well as individualized hatred, a bit metal/hardcore word salad for my taste but it matches the music rather perfectly. Modern grind heads and hardcore kids who yearn for the glory days of MORBID ANGEL should not hesitate to pull the trigger on this one, and I can only imagine that these guys slay live. (WB)
(Regurgitated Semen)
IRON HAND – "Injected Fear" 12"
Seven tracks of tense d-beat hardcore from one of the best bands to come out of Connecticut in recent memory, this is IRON HAND's first full-length following two 7"s and an absolutely unreal demo tape from back in 2008. Three years have passed since their last release, but the basic M.O. is more or less unchanged: driving crust of the latter-day America-goes-Scandi variety, offset by forays into anthemic hardcore in the vein of RAW NERVES. Powerful stuff! I used to live in the same town as some of these dudes back when they still played in the underappreciated THEY AND THE CHILDREN, one of the first "modern" hardcore to resonate with me, and both bands share a lyrical and musical intelligence that easily sets them apart from the pack. Sadly, I moved across the country a few months before they played their first shows… still kicking myself for never catching the chaos live. (WB)
(Safety Meeting)
SLAG-Mindslave-EP
XYMOX-Subsequent Pleasures-LP
BLOOD ROBOTS-LP
DEPARTURE KIDS-On The Go-LP
EXECUTIVE SLACKS-12"
PROTES BENGT-Påskstämning-EP
INSTITUTE-45/WIPERS-45
KNARK/KRÜGER-split EP
OVENS-EP/FRAU-EP
POIKKEUS/SBSM-live
SLAG – "Mindslave" EP
This is just so fucking on point. Proudly waving the banner of San Jose Supremacy, this first 7" launches SLAG straight into the pantheon of South Bay powerviolence alongside IN DISGUST (an obvious touchstone), GODSTOMPER, DEADPRESSURE, and T.A.D.R.O.E.V. Endlessly heavy with relentless blasting and some expertly blown-out production, this record emphasizes the best elements of crust-tinted grind with not a moment of filler. Great high and low vocals too; the only bummer worth noting is the lack of a lyric sheet. Tut tut, I could have at least used that to help set a cop car on fire. Fans of new-school grindviolence from ARCHAGATHUS to YOUR ENEMY: this is your new favorite shit. (WB)
(Regurgitated Semen)
VÅLDSAMT MOTSTÅND – “Gamla Goda Värderingar” EP
Swedish crust that bounces between death metal-infused chugging and
driving D-beat, complimented at times by an odd sense of melody. The
first song opens up with the death metal equivalent of a cheat beat,
but gets more bearable once the tempo kicks up, and the more hardcore
songs in the middle of the record are quite solid if you appreciate
epic vibes in this style. Unfortunately the band slows down again for
the plodding "Snake People", which has sick lyrics ('There will be no
burial for you in the lotus garden') but no real drive, ultimately
resolving into a mega-breakdown that’s about three sizes too tuff for me.
The two halves of their sound, which are never satisfyingly integrated, make this feel like a band that’s trying to pull from a smattering of influences, but still finding its own voice(s). (WB)
(Högre Tempo!)
RORT – “Warpath” LP
Manically riffy death-flavored grind from Melbourne, Australia, the fourteen tracks of RORT’s debut LP blur relentlessly into one another, making for an exhausting, almost nauseating listen (in this genre, not at all a bad thing). Precision drumming and brilliant tremolo leads win the day here—these guys know how to mine the noodle-y glory of ye old school death metal to perfection, and it makes the whole affair miles more fun than your run-o’-the-mill blastfest. There’s a more anthemic hXc element that occasionally comes to the fore, with some of the vocal hooks bringing a slightly moshy feel. Wrathful lyrics take on societal disgust as well as individualized hatred, a bit metal/hardcore word salad for my taste but it matches the music rather perfectly. Modern grind heads and hardcore kids who yearn for the glory days of MORBID ANGEL should not hesitate to pull the trigger on this one, and I can only imagine that these guys slay live. (WB)
(Regurgitated Semen)
IRON HAND – "Injected Fear" 12"
Seven tracks of tense d-beat hardcore from one of the best bands to come out of Connecticut in recent memory, this is IRON HAND's first full-length following two 7"s and an absolutely unreal demo tape from back in 2008. Three years have passed since their last release, but the basic M.O. is more or less unchanged: driving crust of the latter-day America-goes-Scandi variety, offset by forays into anthemic hardcore in the vein of RAW NERVES. Powerful stuff! I used to live in the same town as some of these dudes back when they still played in the underappreciated THEY AND THE CHILDREN, one of the first "modern" hardcore to resonate with me, and both bands share a lyrical and musical intelligence that easily sets them apart from the pack. Sadly, I moved across the country a few months before they played their first shows… still kicking myself for never catching the chaos live. (WB)
(Safety Meeting)
October 2014 - #377
Top Ten:
COMMUNION OF THIEVES-live
PROTESTANT-In Thy Name-LP
MOTH-LP/NERVOUS TREND-12”
INFEKZIOA-EP
SKAVEN-LP
QLOAQA LETAL-LP
CIORAN-12”
CODE BMUS-LP/ZEX-45
MAAILIMANLOPPU/APOCALYPSE NOW/KUUDES SILMÄ-live
VATS/DEZ YUSUF/DAISY WORLD-live/DEADFEST-fest
GREAT SABATINI – "Dog Years" LP
Uptempo "sludge" by way of the noise-rock, GREAT SABATINI mine the
latter-day MELVINS catalog to produce a fairly generic, occasionally
punky take on the genre. It's not as proggy or catchy as King Buzzo
and co., of course, and the 'verbed-out vocals read more bizarro than
kvlt, but there's a couple of moments that I could see on a WEEDEATER
record (intended as a compliment). For what it's worth, the fuzzy
monster on the cover looks like a leftover from Gabba Gabba Hey or
Seasame Street, and I hate it. If you're someone who misses the glory
days of Ipecac Records and the like, this might be just what the
doctor ordered. For the rest of us, extremely skippable. (WB)
(Solar Flare)
NO FUN/LUBE – split EP
A nice little slab by two bands that share members in addition to
sonic tendencies, as illustrated in a cute little Venn diagram at the
center of the insert. Both NO FUN and LUBE split the difference
between high-energy garage rock and hardcore, with LUBE getting maybe
a bit more ambitious when they decide to solo. Vocals are pretty much
interchangeable between the two bands, channeling the primal scream of
the SONICS via MUDHONEY. Spite-filled nihilism is the lyrical order of
the day, but that's what we all came here for, right? I'm glad we had
this talk. (WB)
(WWTA)
PROTESTANT – "In Thy Name" LP
Hoooooly shit! I've always loved me some PROTESTANT, but this new
record is something else entirely, departing from their well-honed
dark hardcore attack to embrace the hateful, raw filth of black metal.
Cory's unmistakable vocals (and the occasional massive breakdown)
provide a link to the band's previous discography, and the
throat-ripping fury of metalpunk is definitely there, but they've
rebuild their sound from the ground up with some deliciously lo-fi
production. The whole thing is overflowing with jaw-dropping riffs,
played with the passion and precision of a band a decade into their
existence. Easily one of the top black metal/crust crossovers I've
heard—and believe me, I've heard far too many in the last several
years—I would have to say that this is also PROTESTANT's best, most
consistent full-length to date. Trends come and go, but In Thy Name is
the real deal. An instant classic. (WB)
(Halo of Flies)
REAGAN'S POLYP – "Deadenator" CD
A reissue of 1998's supposed "noise-rock classic" by these Arkansas
master trollers, I have to say that I'm pretty unimpressed. First
things first, the whole racist/sexist/un-PC shock rock thing is just
so beyond played out; I know you're trying to ape ZAPPA, but instead
of satirical and biting y'all just sound ignorant as fuck, not to
mention bo-o-o-oring. The opener "Bridges of Asses" encapsulates the
whole disjointed mess rather well, starting off with some truly awful
PAUL SIMON-esque crooning before awkwardly segueing into spastic
art-punk fuckery and then back into terrible "parody" pop that
honestly takes my mind back to MOXY FRÜVOUS. Ouch. The sheer breadth
of styles and sound they pull off over the course an hour is certainly
nothing to sneeze at, and there's a definite DEVO-ish ear for oddball
hooks, but one gets the feeling that REAGAN'S POLYP made it to the
thirty album mark (!) with the help of some not-so-judicious editing.
There are moments here worth exploring, such as the synth warfare on
"Hello Alien", but few will have the energy to pan for gold in this
sea of mediocrity. (WB)
(Vetoxa)
SKAVEN – "Discography" LP
Compiling their self-titled 7" along with material from splits with
DYSTOPIA and STORMCROW, this LP gives us the entire recorded output of
the short-lived SKAVEN, who managed to leave a lasting impression on
the East Bay (and worldwide) crust scene in just a couple of years.
For those of you who are unfamiliar, SKAVEN did a fairly upbeat take
on the legacy of classic UK crust like HELLBASTARD and AXEGRINDER, but
with the decidedly 90’s vibe of contemporaries such as ELDOPA. Along
with a undeniable skill for writing catchy fucking songs, their two
bass/one guitar setup yielded a fairly idiosyncratic sound; just
listen to those bass leads at the end of "Reflective Skin" and you'll
know what I mean. A truly gorgeous lyric booklet collects some of the
most depressing sentiments you'll ever find in a punk record, but what
else would you expect from a band that shares members with ASUNDER?
Great liner notes too, including the story of how "a member of a
well-known Bay Area band" bit someone's ear off in a massive
crusty-versus-skinhead brawl. A top-notch remaster by Brad Boatright
and a whole slew of posters and inserts complete the package, making
this hands-down the definitive SKAVEN release, a must-grab for any
scumfuck worth their own filth. (WB)
(Skuld)
COMMUNION OF THIEVES-live
PROTESTANT-In Thy Name-LP
MOTH-LP/NERVOUS TREND-12”
INFEKZIOA-EP
SKAVEN-LP
QLOAQA LETAL-LP
CIORAN-12”
CODE BMUS-LP/ZEX-45
MAAILIMANLOPPU/APOCALYPSE NOW/KUUDES SILMÄ-live
VATS/DEZ YUSUF/DAISY WORLD-live/DEADFEST-fest
GREAT SABATINI – "Dog Years" LP
Uptempo "sludge" by way of the noise-rock, GREAT SABATINI mine the
latter-day MELVINS catalog to produce a fairly generic, occasionally
punky take on the genre. It's not as proggy or catchy as King Buzzo
and co., of course, and the 'verbed-out vocals read more bizarro than
kvlt, but there's a couple of moments that I could see on a WEEDEATER
record (intended as a compliment). For what it's worth, the fuzzy
monster on the cover looks like a leftover from Gabba Gabba Hey or
Seasame Street, and I hate it. If you're someone who misses the glory
days of Ipecac Records and the like, this might be just what the
doctor ordered. For the rest of us, extremely skippable. (WB)
(Solar Flare)
NO FUN/LUBE – split EP
A nice little slab by two bands that share members in addition to
sonic tendencies, as illustrated in a cute little Venn diagram at the
center of the insert. Both NO FUN and LUBE split the difference
between high-energy garage rock and hardcore, with LUBE getting maybe
a bit more ambitious when they decide to solo. Vocals are pretty much
interchangeable between the two bands, channeling the primal scream of
the SONICS via MUDHONEY. Spite-filled nihilism is the lyrical order of
the day, but that's what we all came here for, right? I'm glad we had
this talk. (WB)
(WWTA)
PROTESTANT – "In Thy Name" LP
Hoooooly shit! I've always loved me some PROTESTANT, but this new
record is something else entirely, departing from their well-honed
dark hardcore attack to embrace the hateful, raw filth of black metal.
Cory's unmistakable vocals (and the occasional massive breakdown)
provide a link to the band's previous discography, and the
throat-ripping fury of metalpunk is definitely there, but they've
rebuild their sound from the ground up with some deliciously lo-fi
production. The whole thing is overflowing with jaw-dropping riffs,
played with the passion and precision of a band a decade into their
existence. Easily one of the top black metal/crust crossovers I've
heard—and believe me, I've heard far too many in the last several
years—I would have to say that this is also PROTESTANT's best, most
consistent full-length to date. Trends come and go, but In Thy Name is
the real deal. An instant classic. (WB)
(Halo of Flies)
REAGAN'S POLYP – "Deadenator" CD
A reissue of 1998's supposed "noise-rock classic" by these Arkansas
master trollers, I have to say that I'm pretty unimpressed. First
things first, the whole racist/sexist/un-PC shock rock thing is just
so beyond played out; I know you're trying to ape ZAPPA, but instead
of satirical and biting y'all just sound ignorant as fuck, not to
mention bo-o-o-oring. The opener "Bridges of Asses" encapsulates the
whole disjointed mess rather well, starting off with some truly awful
PAUL SIMON-esque crooning before awkwardly segueing into spastic
art-punk fuckery and then back into terrible "parody" pop that
honestly takes my mind back to MOXY FRÜVOUS. Ouch. The sheer breadth
of styles and sound they pull off over the course an hour is certainly
nothing to sneeze at, and there's a definite DEVO-ish ear for oddball
hooks, but one gets the feeling that REAGAN'S POLYP made it to the
thirty album mark (!) with the help of some not-so-judicious editing.
There are moments here worth exploring, such as the synth warfare on
"Hello Alien", but few will have the energy to pan for gold in this
sea of mediocrity. (WB)
(Vetoxa)
SKAVEN – "Discography" LP
Compiling their self-titled 7" along with material from splits with
DYSTOPIA and STORMCROW, this LP gives us the entire recorded output of
the short-lived SKAVEN, who managed to leave a lasting impression on
the East Bay (and worldwide) crust scene in just a couple of years.
For those of you who are unfamiliar, SKAVEN did a fairly upbeat take
on the legacy of classic UK crust like HELLBASTARD and AXEGRINDER, but
with the decidedly 90’s vibe of contemporaries such as ELDOPA. Along
with a undeniable skill for writing catchy fucking songs, their two
bass/one guitar setup yielded a fairly idiosyncratic sound; just
listen to those bass leads at the end of "Reflective Skin" and you'll
know what I mean. A truly gorgeous lyric booklet collects some of the
most depressing sentiments you'll ever find in a punk record, but what
else would you expect from a band that shares members with ASUNDER?
Great liner notes too, including the story of how "a member of a
well-known Bay Area band" bit someone's ear off in a massive
crusty-versus-skinhead brawl. A top-notch remaster by Brad Boatright
and a whole slew of posters and inserts complete the package, making
this hands-down the definitive SKAVEN release, a must-grab for any
scumfuck worth their own filth. (WB)
(Skuld)
September 2014 – #376
Top Ten:
KLAXON-EP
ALERTA ROJA-Algo Esta Cambiando…… Y Muy Violentamente-LP
NAPRED U PROŠLOST-Komunizam-EP
CONTORTURE/AHNA-split EP
DEGENERATE-Destreation-CD
ELECTRIC FUNERAL-2xLP/SUFFER THE STORM-side of split
NIGHTFELL-CD
BLOODSTAINS ACROSS BUFFALO-comp
EU’S ARSE-EP + split/KONTAMINAT-EP
KRUEL/BLAZING EYE/ARGENTAVIS-live
CONTORTURE/AHNA – split EP
Handle with care, this is fuggin’ deadly. Göteborg’s CONTORTURE goes straight for the jugular with their raging feminist käng, expertly toeing the raw/melodic line that has come to define Swedish crust in the last decade. Lyrics revisit familiar themes of autonomy, rape culture, and watching those around you age out of punk, but with a personalistic approach, and the lead vocals remind me of Kate from SCHIFOSI in all the best ways. On the flip, leading Canadian powerviolence freex AHNA lays out two more doses of their noisey blackened filth, sounding yet again like they’ve managed to record in one of the lesser pits of hell. This is actually a lot less blast-centric than their older material, with crusty rhythms offsetting the murky metalloid gloom, and the opening sludge of “Living in Fear” channels the headbanging glory of BOLT THROWER to perfection. Already a serious contender for my favorite split of 2014, this is nothing short of mandatory for all you metalpunx. (WB)
(Neanderthal.Stench/What Is Making Us Sick/Active Rebellion/Into the Abyss)
DEGENERATE – "Destreation" CD
Now this one is a blast. Thirteen years and a few comp tracks into
their existence, Osaka's DEGENERATE have dropped this fifteen-song
mindbomb, a dazzling collection of Burning Spirits HC with seriously
old-school vibrations. Somewhere between a stripped-down PAINTBOX and
the rock-n-roll flair of TETSU ARRAY, this is about as close as I'd
ever want to get to calling a hardcore record uplifting, but there's
definitely a infectiously soaring quality to the whole thing. You
better believe that there's some sizzlingly wankadelic leads in there,
but you know what? They fucking pull it off. Really though, that
guitar player is a goddamned ace, and thankfully he chose punk over
the ZEPPELIN-esque hard rock band he was probably destined to play in.
Don't pose, DEGENERATE is the real deal in 2014!! (WB)
(Bronze Fist)
SON OF MAN – "Call of the Morning Star" EP
Alright people, you asked for more chugging "Holy Terror"-style
hardcore, and here's another dose, with a pretty neat black metal edge
to sweeten the deal. The latter definitely helps to avoid the monotony
that plagues so many bands in this niche, and lot of the more punk-y
riffs almost sound like 80s UK crust, but I still didn't find a ton to
get excited about here. The prettier and/or catchier guitar parts
definitely had me excited a couple of times, but they always seem to
resolve into the same bo-o-ring cheaty drum part. And I'm sorry, but I
can't get behind any hardcore band that's never played a live show.
Seriously, why? (WB)
(King of the Monsters)
SUFFERING MIND/GUANTANAMO PARTY PROGRAM – split EP
The ol' slow vs. fast band split trick: does it ever get old? Poland's
reigning grind heroes SUFFERING MIND tear their way through three
burners, touching on power violence, crust, ripping black metal and
good ol' fashioned hardcore crush, preserving the lineage of greats
like MASSGRAVE and ASSÜCK. Some of the best material that I've heard
from 'em, these guys really hit a groove a few years back and seem to
be more or less unstoppable at this point. GUANTANAMO PARTY PROGRAM
offer up their take on the whole TRAGEDY meets NEUROSIS thang, and
while that's generally one of my least-favorite microniches, they do a
better job than most, reminding me of a less indulgent LIGHTBEARER.
Could the split seven-inch be the saving grace of the whole post-metal
trend? A girl can dream… (WB)
(Back on Track/Caramba/Halo of Flies)
TORCH RUNNER - "Committed to the Ground" LP
A repress of the 2012 full-length from these North Carolina crushers,
Committed to the Ground stands near the apex of a certain type of
blasty dark hardcore. In all honesty, it makes perfect sense that
they've made the move to Southern Lord alongside DEAD IN THE DIRT et
al, and the kids who go nuts for FULL OF HELL will eat this right up.
While TORCH RUNNER still finds its center in ugly, ripping grind, they
expand that core to include some crusty chugs and more than a couple
forays into SABBATH-worthy sludge, making up for what they sometimes
lack in dynamics with a well-honed sense of rage. Relentless touring
has given this band a degree of precision and focus that really
carries over here, and fans of modern heavy hardcore are definitely
starting to take note. (WB)
(Southern Lord)
VIVISEKTIO – "Mausoleumi/Noitavaino" 45
Definitely a cool story here: after lingering in relative obscurity
since their 80s heyday, Finnish vets VIVISEKTIO reunited and went
right back at it, releasing the 1984 LP a few years ago and now this
new single. The sound here is mid-tempo, latter-day anarcho with
rolling drums, but it's a bass-heavy, meatier-than-average
interpretation with just a hint of Italian hardcore in the vocal
department. While "Mausoleumi" takes a plodding pace and could stand
to benefit from a bona fide hook, the b-side here is the real gem,
following a similar formula but adding cool guitar harmonics and
powerful, shouted dual vocals on the chorus. It's worth noting the
excellent cover art, which puts a new twist on the classic psychedelic
watercolor/Wicker Man/nuclear reactor formula. At the end of the day,
this is a damn fine record, and it's always rad to see a band pick up
after twenty-plus years without losing any of their energy or
creativity. (WB)
(Kämäset Levyt)
KLAXON-EP
ALERTA ROJA-Algo Esta Cambiando…… Y Muy Violentamente-LP
NAPRED U PROŠLOST-Komunizam-EP
CONTORTURE/AHNA-split EP
DEGENERATE-Destreation-CD
ELECTRIC FUNERAL-2xLP/SUFFER THE STORM-side of split
NIGHTFELL-CD
BLOODSTAINS ACROSS BUFFALO-comp
EU’S ARSE-EP + split/KONTAMINAT-EP
KRUEL/BLAZING EYE/ARGENTAVIS-live
CONTORTURE/AHNA – split EP
Handle with care, this is fuggin’ deadly. Göteborg’s CONTORTURE goes straight for the jugular with their raging feminist käng, expertly toeing the raw/melodic line that has come to define Swedish crust in the last decade. Lyrics revisit familiar themes of autonomy, rape culture, and watching those around you age out of punk, but with a personalistic approach, and the lead vocals remind me of Kate from SCHIFOSI in all the best ways. On the flip, leading Canadian powerviolence freex AHNA lays out two more doses of their noisey blackened filth, sounding yet again like they’ve managed to record in one of the lesser pits of hell. This is actually a lot less blast-centric than their older material, with crusty rhythms offsetting the murky metalloid gloom, and the opening sludge of “Living in Fear” channels the headbanging glory of BOLT THROWER to perfection. Already a serious contender for my favorite split of 2014, this is nothing short of mandatory for all you metalpunx. (WB)
(Neanderthal.Stench/What Is Making Us Sick/Active Rebellion/Into the Abyss)
DEGENERATE – "Destreation" CD
Now this one is a blast. Thirteen years and a few comp tracks into
their existence, Osaka's DEGENERATE have dropped this fifteen-song
mindbomb, a dazzling collection of Burning Spirits HC with seriously
old-school vibrations. Somewhere between a stripped-down PAINTBOX and
the rock-n-roll flair of TETSU ARRAY, this is about as close as I'd
ever want to get to calling a hardcore record uplifting, but there's
definitely a infectiously soaring quality to the whole thing. You
better believe that there's some sizzlingly wankadelic leads in there,
but you know what? They fucking pull it off. Really though, that
guitar player is a goddamned ace, and thankfully he chose punk over
the ZEPPELIN-esque hard rock band he was probably destined to play in.
Don't pose, DEGENERATE is the real deal in 2014!! (WB)
(Bronze Fist)
SON OF MAN – "Call of the Morning Star" EP
Alright people, you asked for more chugging "Holy Terror"-style
hardcore, and here's another dose, with a pretty neat black metal edge
to sweeten the deal. The latter definitely helps to avoid the monotony
that plagues so many bands in this niche, and lot of the more punk-y
riffs almost sound like 80s UK crust, but I still didn't find a ton to
get excited about here. The prettier and/or catchier guitar parts
definitely had me excited a couple of times, but they always seem to
resolve into the same bo-o-ring cheaty drum part. And I'm sorry, but I
can't get behind any hardcore band that's never played a live show.
Seriously, why? (WB)
(King of the Monsters)
SUFFERING MIND/GUANTANAMO PARTY PROGRAM – split EP
The ol' slow vs. fast band split trick: does it ever get old? Poland's
reigning grind heroes SUFFERING MIND tear their way through three
burners, touching on power violence, crust, ripping black metal and
good ol' fashioned hardcore crush, preserving the lineage of greats
like MASSGRAVE and ASSÜCK. Some of the best material that I've heard
from 'em, these guys really hit a groove a few years back and seem to
be more or less unstoppable at this point. GUANTANAMO PARTY PROGRAM
offer up their take on the whole TRAGEDY meets NEUROSIS thang, and
while that's generally one of my least-favorite microniches, they do a
better job than most, reminding me of a less indulgent LIGHTBEARER.
Could the split seven-inch be the saving grace of the whole post-metal
trend? A girl can dream… (WB)
(Back on Track/Caramba/Halo of Flies)
TORCH RUNNER - "Committed to the Ground" LP
A repress of the 2012 full-length from these North Carolina crushers,
Committed to the Ground stands near the apex of a certain type of
blasty dark hardcore. In all honesty, it makes perfect sense that
they've made the move to Southern Lord alongside DEAD IN THE DIRT et
al, and the kids who go nuts for FULL OF HELL will eat this right up.
While TORCH RUNNER still finds its center in ugly, ripping grind, they
expand that core to include some crusty chugs and more than a couple
forays into SABBATH-worthy sludge, making up for what they sometimes
lack in dynamics with a well-honed sense of rage. Relentless touring
has given this band a degree of precision and focus that really
carries over here, and fans of modern heavy hardcore are definitely
starting to take note. (WB)
(Southern Lord)
VIVISEKTIO – "Mausoleumi/Noitavaino" 45
Definitely a cool story here: after lingering in relative obscurity
since their 80s heyday, Finnish vets VIVISEKTIO reunited and went
right back at it, releasing the 1984 LP a few years ago and now this
new single. The sound here is mid-tempo, latter-day anarcho with
rolling drums, but it's a bass-heavy, meatier-than-average
interpretation with just a hint of Italian hardcore in the vocal
department. While "Mausoleumi" takes a plodding pace and could stand
to benefit from a bona fide hook, the b-side here is the real gem,
following a similar formula but adding cool guitar harmonics and
powerful, shouted dual vocals on the chorus. It's worth noting the
excellent cover art, which puts a new twist on the classic psychedelic
watercolor/Wicker Man/nuclear reactor formula. At the end of the day,
this is a damn fine record, and it's always rad to see a band pick up
after twenty-plus years without losing any of their energy or
creativity. (WB)
(Kämäset Levyt)
Saturday, January 3, 2015
August 2014 – #375
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)
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)
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)
Sunday, December 21, 2014
February 2014 – #369
Top Ten:
PETER GUTTERIDGE-Pure-LP
CØNDITIØN-EP / LIFE CHAIN-EP
LAKES-Blood of the Grove-LP
KOSZMAR-Jeniec Wojenny-LP
RADIOACTIVITY-EP / 440-EP
ATTACK SS/FRENZY-split / MANATEES-45
SUFFERING MIND/SIXBREWBANTHA-split
AUTONOMY-lathe+split
KOROVA-lathe / WAU Y LOS ARRRGHS-LP
LAUDANUM/LOTUS FUCKER-live
Oh bands of this world, hear my cry: no more ISIS crust. There was a time not too long ago when incorporating the post-rock dynamics of bands like KINSKY, PAIK and, yes, GODSPEED, into heavy punk seemed like a great idea, pushing back on genre conformity and expanding the palette for a new generation of bands to the explore. Montreal's LE KRAKEN are one of these bands, raised on a steady diet of CULT OF LUNA (blech) and epic crust, but like many of their peers, they simply aren't bringing much that's noteworthy to the table. For a style that's so serious and self-consciously arty, too much of this feels like an excersize in cookie-cutter songwriting, from genre-standard throaty growls to the largely predictable chug>spacey>chug>breakdown song arcs. As is often the case for bands of this ilk, I actually just wish they would play to their strengths, ditching the metallic side of their sound and going for full-on po-ro. But what do I know, I don't even listen to NEUROSIS. (WB)
(L’Oeil du tigre)
440 – "Nailed Down" EP
Did you even wonder what that NERVESKADE 7" would sound like on 78, but can't afford a new turntable? Miami's 440 are here to help. Seriously, this might have the best/worst production in recent memory, an unapoligetically filthy affair that will probably burn holes in your soul if you aren't careful. Under all that hiss, these anxiety-inducing miscreants manage to conjure up some savagely chaotic grind/power violence that's sure the sate the blast freaks, and they just might win over a raw ponk or twelve in the process. Definitely a standout. (WB)
(Regurgitated Semen)
SWORDWIELDER – "Grim Visions of Battle" CD
And the dark Lord said, "Let there be Stench!" After a couple of demos, this is the debut full-length from these Gothenburg death dealers, and they've really outdone themselves here. This might as well be titled Hails to England for it's allegiance to the model carved out by 80s stalwarts like DEVIATED INSTINCT and AMEBIX, creeping chorus-drenched riffs and all, but SWORDWIELDER does an admirable job of modernizing their inherently retrograde approach without ending up sounding like a false. The guitar work is top-notch, inventive and peppered with just the right amount of gloomy clean bits, while the vocals are spot-on throughout. This album has grown on me with every listen, easily worth rallying the hordes near you and giving it a spin. (WB)
(Cubo de Sangre)
CONSPIRACY OF DENIAL – LP
Racing, expansive d-beat/crust with lyrics in Greek and English, CONSPIRACY OF DENIAL have cranked out an impressive debut here, incorporating melodic elements and epic breakdowns without losing the driving pummel that makes for a great hardcore record. I'm admittedly a sucker for well-executed dual vocal crust, and this band knows just how to push my buttons in that regard, all the better when these are matched with articulate, introspective lyrics. Fifteen years into the 2000s, a lot of punks have understandably grown weary of melodic crust, but fans of bands like SCHIFOSI and FROM ASHES RISE would do well to hunt this out. (WB)
(Scarecrow/World's Appreciated Kitsch)
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
January 2014 – #368
Top Ten:
HARD SKIN-live
LANDVERAAD-live
DESTRUKT-live
BACCHUS-live
VITRIOLIC RESPONSE-live
RUINED FAMILIES-live
CIORAN-live
INSTINCT OF SURVIVAL-live
WARPATH-live
DEAD RAMONES-live
BESTHÖVEN/FINAL SLUM WAR – split LP
In DISCHARGE worship as in life, some things never change. Thankfully, BESTHÖVEN is one of them. Twenty-three years into staking their claim as the world’s greatest (and most prolific) one-man D-beat band, this split finds Fofäo in top form, bringing us six new tracks—including a FORÇA MACABRA cover—of his huff 'n stumble brand of brilliantly inept noize. As usual, the production is paper-thin and bass-heavy, and of course there's nothing 'shredding' or 'technical' about the guitar solos—they just fucking rip, ok? Those seeking a crash course in how to write anthemic shit-fi need look no further than 'This World is Dying'; seriously, I think I might never get that chorus out of my head. On the flip we have Barcelona's FINAL SLUM WAR playing some charging raw punk with an obvious debt to South American hardcore. While their songs tend to blur together a bit more, there's a buzzing metallic edge to the guitar tone that I really dug, and the vocals are satisfyingly dark with nice touch of cavernous 'verb. All in all, a great split, recommended without hesitation. (WB) (Rawmantic Disasters/Nuclear Fear/Imminent Destruction)
FALTER – "Descent" EP
Angry, oft-chugging brutal hardcore from Milwaukee, FALTER cover a lot of ground in this ten-minute slab of bad feelings, hinting at a crusty atmosphere without actually going too far down that rabbit hole. While it’s mostly aggression and straight-up grime, the pretty, downtempo breakdowns were actually the highlight for me. Starting the second side of the 7” with one? Genius. Dark ‘core kids in the FULL OF HELL/SEVEN SISTERS OF SLEEP camp should definitely check this out, but to be honest I’ll probably just wait ‘til they start a doom band a few years from now. (WB) (Reality is a Cult)
GERANIÜM – LP
A repress of a record that was criminally overlooked (at least in the U.S.) in 2012, this is massive, sometimes gorgeous screamo/crust of the highest order. GERANIÜM hail from France and deliver a tense, deliberate take on the neocrust sound, coming off like a more fragile AGE OF COLLAPSE. Along with a plentiful trove of great crescendos and raging D-beat breaks, the vocals are a critical component, supremely raw and with a serious sense of passion and pain—worked for EKKAIA and it works here. Every time you think you’ve figured out what they’re up to, there’s a new element that’s just as gripping as what came before it, and the riffs feel instantly familiar in a way that let’s you know this is a record to remember. So many bands collapse under the weight of their ‘epic’ intentions, but GERANIÜM know how to make every note count, and there’s a immediacy throughout that few in this style are able to pull off. I need to get my hands on the split they just put out with FINISTERRE, damn. (WB) (Dingleberry/Dream Comes True/Up The Punx/Lubic/Contraszt!/Emergence/Tanker/Subversive Ways)
KRATZER/KVAZAR – split LP
A Greco-German collaboration twice over (one band and one label representing each country), fans of modern blasting hardcore should definitely give this one a shot. Thesaloniki's KVAZAR definitely own the split for me, solidly crusty grind that manages to sounds nasty while incorporating some melodic elements that give the songs a sense of depth and variety. KRATZER start on a similar note—though the focus here is more on dark hardcore than pure grind—and I definitely enjoyed the first few songs, but as their side progresses things go in a more shimmery post-metal direction that left me cold. Oh well. I guess this is KVAZAR's final release, apparently they've been broken up since 2010! Damn, guys, I hardly knew ye. (WB) (Blastbeat/7 Degrees)
LAVATCH – "Mental Deterioration" CD
A lot of bad decisions went into this one, oof. This group of angst-ridden souls from Cologne waver between melodic hardcore and tuff metalcore breakdowns with way, waytoo many crab vibes, throwing in the occasional spacey part for good measure. A lot of the more upbeat sections are honestly just pop-punk with mismatched screams laid over them, and really the whole thing just feels too clean for it's own good. There's no denying the sincerity of LAVATCH's intentions, and every once in a while a riff will pop up that's pretty damn awesome, but the world of polished hXc this represents means nothing to me. (WB) (Mudcore)
V/A – "Monomaniac, Vol. 1" EP
The concept is simple: throw together a bunch of today’s illest fast bands and have them each contribute a song (or three) in the minute-ish range. There’s some serious heavy-hitters on this 7”—THEDOWNGOING (Australia), SETE STAR SEPT (Japan) and DETROIT (Canada, confusingly) give an idea of the international intention here—and whole thing feels coherent despite the wide range of grind and black/death metal sounds it encompasses. Never thought I’d see CLOUD RAT and DIOCLETIAN on the same record, that’s awesome. I’m generally pretty compilation-skeptical—especially in the oversaturated world of latter-day grindcore—but this is just a great record from start to finish, with zero throwaway material and more than a few new bands I’m stoked to have discovered. There’s more to come, apparently, so keep eyes peeled in the future. (Blastbeat)
HARD SKIN-live
LANDVERAAD-live
DESTRUKT-live
BACCHUS-live
VITRIOLIC RESPONSE-live
RUINED FAMILIES-live
CIORAN-live
INSTINCT OF SURVIVAL-live
WARPATH-live
DEAD RAMONES-live
BESTHÖVEN/FINAL SLUM WAR – split LP
In DISCHARGE worship as in life, some things never change. Thankfully, BESTHÖVEN is one of them. Twenty-three years into staking their claim as the world’s greatest (and most prolific) one-man D-beat band, this split finds Fofäo in top form, bringing us six new tracks—including a FORÇA MACABRA cover—of his huff 'n stumble brand of brilliantly inept noize. As usual, the production is paper-thin and bass-heavy, and of course there's nothing 'shredding' or 'technical' about the guitar solos—they just fucking rip, ok? Those seeking a crash course in how to write anthemic shit-fi need look no further than 'This World is Dying'; seriously, I think I might never get that chorus out of my head. On the flip we have Barcelona's FINAL SLUM WAR playing some charging raw punk with an obvious debt to South American hardcore. While their songs tend to blur together a bit more, there's a buzzing metallic edge to the guitar tone that I really dug, and the vocals are satisfyingly dark with nice touch of cavernous 'verb. All in all, a great split, recommended without hesitation. (WB) (Rawmantic Disasters/Nuclear Fear/Imminent Destruction)
FALTER – "Descent" EP
Angry, oft-chugging brutal hardcore from Milwaukee, FALTER cover a lot of ground in this ten-minute slab of bad feelings, hinting at a crusty atmosphere without actually going too far down that rabbit hole. While it’s mostly aggression and straight-up grime, the pretty, downtempo breakdowns were actually the highlight for me. Starting the second side of the 7” with one? Genius. Dark ‘core kids in the FULL OF HELL/SEVEN SISTERS OF SLEEP camp should definitely check this out, but to be honest I’ll probably just wait ‘til they start a doom band a few years from now. (WB) (Reality is a Cult)
GERANIÜM – LP
A repress of a record that was criminally overlooked (at least in the U.S.) in 2012, this is massive, sometimes gorgeous screamo/crust of the highest order. GERANIÜM hail from France and deliver a tense, deliberate take on the neocrust sound, coming off like a more fragile AGE OF COLLAPSE. Along with a plentiful trove of great crescendos and raging D-beat breaks, the vocals are a critical component, supremely raw and with a serious sense of passion and pain—worked for EKKAIA and it works here. Every time you think you’ve figured out what they’re up to, there’s a new element that’s just as gripping as what came before it, and the riffs feel instantly familiar in a way that let’s you know this is a record to remember. So many bands collapse under the weight of their ‘epic’ intentions, but GERANIÜM know how to make every note count, and there’s a immediacy throughout that few in this style are able to pull off. I need to get my hands on the split they just put out with FINISTERRE, damn. (WB) (Dingleberry/Dream Comes True/Up The Punx/Lubic/Contraszt!/Emergence/Tanker/Subversive Ways)
KRATZER/KVAZAR – split LP
A Greco-German collaboration twice over (one band and one label representing each country), fans of modern blasting hardcore should definitely give this one a shot. Thesaloniki's KVAZAR definitely own the split for me, solidly crusty grind that manages to sounds nasty while incorporating some melodic elements that give the songs a sense of depth and variety. KRATZER start on a similar note—though the focus here is more on dark hardcore than pure grind—and I definitely enjoyed the first few songs, but as their side progresses things go in a more shimmery post-metal direction that left me cold. Oh well. I guess this is KVAZAR's final release, apparently they've been broken up since 2010! Damn, guys, I hardly knew ye. (WB) (Blastbeat/7 Degrees)
LAVATCH – "Mental Deterioration" CD
A lot of bad decisions went into this one, oof. This group of angst-ridden souls from Cologne waver between melodic hardcore and tuff metalcore breakdowns with way, waytoo many crab vibes, throwing in the occasional spacey part for good measure. A lot of the more upbeat sections are honestly just pop-punk with mismatched screams laid over them, and really the whole thing just feels too clean for it's own good. There's no denying the sincerity of LAVATCH's intentions, and every once in a while a riff will pop up that's pretty damn awesome, but the world of polished hXc this represents means nothing to me. (WB) (Mudcore)
V/A – "Monomaniac, Vol. 1" EP
The concept is simple: throw together a bunch of today’s illest fast bands and have them each contribute a song (or three) in the minute-ish range. There’s some serious heavy-hitters on this 7”—THEDOWNGOING (Australia), SETE STAR SEPT (Japan) and DETROIT (Canada, confusingly) give an idea of the international intention here—and whole thing feels coherent despite the wide range of grind and black/death metal sounds it encompasses. Never thought I’d see CLOUD RAT and DIOCLETIAN on the same record, that’s awesome. I’m generally pretty compilation-skeptical—especially in the oversaturated world of latter-day grindcore—but this is just a great record from start to finish, with zero throwaway material and more than a few new bands I’m stoked to have discovered. There’s more to come, apparently, so keep eyes peeled in the future. (Blastbeat)
Friday, December 27, 2013
November 2013 – #366
Top Ten:
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)
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)
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
October 2013 – #365
Top Ten:
BASTARD-Wind of Pain-LP
KUUDES SILMÄ-LP
VIOLENT PARTY-Poison Mixers-LP
HERO DISHONEST-LP/DEFEKTNO EFEKTNI-EP
KATA SARKA/BODDICKER-split
CONTRAST ATTITUDE-You’re Not Free !!!-EP
RULE OF THIRDS-EP/YADOKAI-EP
CRIMINAL DAMAGE-Call of Death-LP
E.A.T.E.R.-all EPs/SELFISH-LP
BITTER FRUIT/ALTAR DE FEY-live
KATA SARKA/BODDICKER – split EP
A recently report from the Ministry of Information shows that ironic corpsepaint is at an all-time high in the past couple years, so I must admit that my eyebrows were raised before putting this on—I shit you not, this is named the The David Lee Gorgoroth EP. Lucky for everyone, what's within is beyond legit, hands-down one of the finest splits I've heard in a long, long time. Indianapolis’ KATA SARKA take an uptempo crust approach and shred it with aggressive-yet-heady black metal from the same infernal depths as ASHDAUTAS and DIAMETREGON…in other words, I need to get my hands on everything they've recorded. There's more blackened d-beat to be had on BODDICKER’s side, but the pace is more deliberate, and the ‘core factor is turned way the fuck up. Two words: ritual moshing. More than worthy of your limited time on this foul earth. (WB)
(Reality is a Cult)
WE LIVE IN TRENCHES– "Out of the Dark" 45
Dark-but-not-too-dark stylings from Gothenburg, Sweden, WE LIVE IN TRENCHES fit in somewhere between hi-fi modern punk and the lurching noise-rock of MOUNT SHASTA. "Swagger" is definitely not something I look for in punk made after, say, 1981, and that's a big part of why this doesn't really work for me: even with some cool atmospherics, the guitars have a rockin' edge that I can't forgive, and the gruff vocals feel, well, kind of forced. The flip is a SAMHAIN cover ("In My Grip"), and I'm sad to say it's a lot better than the song they wrote, bringing out a gnarly post-punk influence only hinted at on the A-side. (WB)
(La Familia)
FATUM – "Time Passes to the Dark" CD
Some ultra-brief research tells me that there are at least three active bands in Russia named FATUM. This FATUM is from Moscow and stand proudly within the stenchcore tradition, stomping their way through a chuggy tribute to 80s UK crust. There's a lot of filler here, largely due to the extreme length of most of the songs here—the first two alone are almost fourteen minutes long—but they convey the spirit of the style well enough to please the heads who favor it. When they aim for some melody it's pretty fucking awesome, adding some dynamics to an otherwise flat journey through the wasteland. This could have been edited down to a pretty killer 7", but I just don't have the patience to sit through the whole thing at once. (WB)
(Drunk With Power)
SWELLS – "Refraction//Incarnation" LP
Come on, guys! As someone who finds myself defending screamo on a semi-regular basis, you're really not making it easier for any of us. Replete with lyrics that mash up the cutesy with some goofball metaphysical pondering—the first song is titled "If A Toucan You Can!" and involves wormholes, ugh—SWELLS offer a mathish take on what passes for post-hardcore in the year 2013. Even setting aside a couple of parts that could easily find a home on an alt rock album, most of what's here comes off as riff salad, and the playing is pretty damn loose for my taste. Comes inside some fucking stellar artwork—I love dodecahedrons and tessellation as much as the next hXc hippie—but looks can be deceiving. Yep, I'm done here. (WB)
(self-released)
D.I.S. – "Becoming Wrath" LP
Took me a while to unravel this but this band's full name is DESTROYED IN SECONDS, not sure if they changed it or what but it's D.I.S. all over this release. The computer-demon cover art had me expecting either NWOBHM revival or some kind of terrible IN FLAMES worship, but the touchstone here is the metallic end of late 90s/early 2000s Scandi d-beat/crust, paired with vocals that bridge the gap between WOLFBRIGADE and anthemic US bands like AUS ROTTEN. All in all, this is a pretty mixed bag: the moshy tough vibes that pop up occasionally were a pretty big turnoff for me, and a lot of it feels by the numbers even while it sprawls across a few different styles. When they get locked into their groove, though, D.I.S. are more than capable of dialing the sounds of some of the greats, even if they're not bringing much innovation to the table. If I had one piece of advice for this band it would be to develop more of the gloomy forays into metal, which were definitely the best part of this album. (WB)
(Deep Six)
VIOLENT PARTY – "Poison Mixers" LP
Completely blistering from top to bottom, this is A++ noize made by and for maladjusted punk miscreants. Occupying a space not too far from the toompa dementia that is LIFEFORM, VIOLENT PARTY have really outdone themselves with this one, not least in the creepy, paranoid lyrics and artwork. In a microgenre fundamentally based around celebrating stupidity, they manage to write a ton of memorable material that stands out from lately-oversatured cult of wannabe raw dudes. This refusal to bow to lazy songwriting is what makes Poison Mixers a record I'll come back to over and over, the slow pogo equivalent of what D-CLONE does for sheer chaotic speed, and the dark, seedy aura they conjure here is one of the best I've heard in a while. The record ends with a deliciously ominous drawn-out dirge, and I'm left wishing I did more drugs. Between this, the CONTRAST ATTITUDE EP and their label omnibus, Konton Crasher hit a trifecta this month. Props. (WB)
(Konton Crasher/Imminent Destruction)
MEN AS WITCHES – "Wheel" EP
Twisted nightmare noises conjured with a bass and some drums, this is where good feelings go to die. While MEN AS WITCHES use the skeleton of power violence as a jump-off, there's a cavernous atonality to the proceedings that puts them in the same league as ultrableak latter-day revisionists like Buffalo's WATER TORTURE. These are the sounds of a generation for whom noise-not-music refers to KHANATE as much as it does to bands like DESPITE YOU and NO COMMENT, and that genealogical alchemy yields some truly powerful results. Doomy beardos who got over hardcore five years ago would probably dig it; for me, it's a complete no-brainer: this rules. (WB)
(Self-released)
BASTARD-Wind of Pain-LP
KUUDES SILMÄ-LP
VIOLENT PARTY-Poison Mixers-LP
HERO DISHONEST-LP/DEFEKTNO EFEKTNI-EP
KATA SARKA/BODDICKER-split
CONTRAST ATTITUDE-You’re Not Free !!!-EP
RULE OF THIRDS-EP/YADOKAI-EP
CRIMINAL DAMAGE-Call of Death-LP
E.A.T.E.R.-all EPs/SELFISH-LP
BITTER FRUIT/ALTAR DE FEY-live
KATA SARKA/BODDICKER – split EP
A recently report from the Ministry of Information shows that ironic corpsepaint is at an all-time high in the past couple years, so I must admit that my eyebrows were raised before putting this on—I shit you not, this is named the The David Lee Gorgoroth EP. Lucky for everyone, what's within is beyond legit, hands-down one of the finest splits I've heard in a long, long time. Indianapolis’ KATA SARKA take an uptempo crust approach and shred it with aggressive-yet-heady black metal from the same infernal depths as ASHDAUTAS and DIAMETREGON…in other words, I need to get my hands on everything they've recorded. There's more blackened d-beat to be had on BODDICKER’s side, but the pace is more deliberate, and the ‘core factor is turned way the fuck up. Two words: ritual moshing. More than worthy of your limited time on this foul earth. (WB)
(Reality is a Cult)
WE LIVE IN TRENCHES– "Out of the Dark" 45
Dark-but-not-too-dark stylings from Gothenburg, Sweden, WE LIVE IN TRENCHES fit in somewhere between hi-fi modern punk and the lurching noise-rock of MOUNT SHASTA. "Swagger" is definitely not something I look for in punk made after, say, 1981, and that's a big part of why this doesn't really work for me: even with some cool atmospherics, the guitars have a rockin' edge that I can't forgive, and the gruff vocals feel, well, kind of forced. The flip is a SAMHAIN cover ("In My Grip"), and I'm sad to say it's a lot better than the song they wrote, bringing out a gnarly post-punk influence only hinted at on the A-side. (WB)
(La Familia)
FATUM – "Time Passes to the Dark" CD
Some ultra-brief research tells me that there are at least three active bands in Russia named FATUM. This FATUM is from Moscow and stand proudly within the stenchcore tradition, stomping their way through a chuggy tribute to 80s UK crust. There's a lot of filler here, largely due to the extreme length of most of the songs here—the first two alone are almost fourteen minutes long—but they convey the spirit of the style well enough to please the heads who favor it. When they aim for some melody it's pretty fucking awesome, adding some dynamics to an otherwise flat journey through the wasteland. This could have been edited down to a pretty killer 7", but I just don't have the patience to sit through the whole thing at once. (WB)
(Drunk With Power)
SWELLS – "Refraction//Incarnation" LP
Come on, guys! As someone who finds myself defending screamo on a semi-regular basis, you're really not making it easier for any of us. Replete with lyrics that mash up the cutesy with some goofball metaphysical pondering—the first song is titled "If A Toucan You Can!" and involves wormholes, ugh—SWELLS offer a mathish take on what passes for post-hardcore in the year 2013. Even setting aside a couple of parts that could easily find a home on an alt rock album, most of what's here comes off as riff salad, and the playing is pretty damn loose for my taste. Comes inside some fucking stellar artwork—I love dodecahedrons and tessellation as much as the next hXc hippie—but looks can be deceiving. Yep, I'm done here. (WB)
(self-released)
D.I.S. – "Becoming Wrath" LP
Took me a while to unravel this but this band's full name is DESTROYED IN SECONDS, not sure if they changed it or what but it's D.I.S. all over this release. The computer-demon cover art had me expecting either NWOBHM revival or some kind of terrible IN FLAMES worship, but the touchstone here is the metallic end of late 90s/early 2000s Scandi d-beat/crust, paired with vocals that bridge the gap between WOLFBRIGADE and anthemic US bands like AUS ROTTEN. All in all, this is a pretty mixed bag: the moshy tough vibes that pop up occasionally were a pretty big turnoff for me, and a lot of it feels by the numbers even while it sprawls across a few different styles. When they get locked into their groove, though, D.I.S. are more than capable of dialing the sounds of some of the greats, even if they're not bringing much innovation to the table. If I had one piece of advice for this band it would be to develop more of the gloomy forays into metal, which were definitely the best part of this album. (WB)
(Deep Six)
VIOLENT PARTY – "Poison Mixers" LP
Completely blistering from top to bottom, this is A++ noize made by and for maladjusted punk miscreants. Occupying a space not too far from the toompa dementia that is LIFEFORM, VIOLENT PARTY have really outdone themselves with this one, not least in the creepy, paranoid lyrics and artwork. In a microgenre fundamentally based around celebrating stupidity, they manage to write a ton of memorable material that stands out from lately-oversatured cult of wannabe raw dudes. This refusal to bow to lazy songwriting is what makes Poison Mixers a record I'll come back to over and over, the slow pogo equivalent of what D-CLONE does for sheer chaotic speed, and the dark, seedy aura they conjure here is one of the best I've heard in a while. The record ends with a deliciously ominous drawn-out dirge, and I'm left wishing I did more drugs. Between this, the CONTRAST ATTITUDE EP and their label omnibus, Konton Crasher hit a trifecta this month. Props. (WB)
(Konton Crasher/Imminent Destruction)
MEN AS WITCHES – "Wheel" EP
Twisted nightmare noises conjured with a bass and some drums, this is where good feelings go to die. While MEN AS WITCHES use the skeleton of power violence as a jump-off, there's a cavernous atonality to the proceedings that puts them in the same league as ultrableak latter-day revisionists like Buffalo's WATER TORTURE. These are the sounds of a generation for whom noise-not-music refers to KHANATE as much as it does to bands like DESPITE YOU and NO COMMENT, and that genealogical alchemy yields some truly powerful results. Doomy beardos who got over hardcore five years ago would probably dig it; for me, it's a complete no-brainer: this rules. (WB)
(Self-released)
September 2013 – #364
Top Ten:
REALITY CONTROL-Document: 1980-1985-LP
ANTI-CIMEX-all EPs
TOTAL WAR-EP/CURMUDGEON-LP+live
DREAM DECAY-N V N V N V-LP
INDUSTRIAL PARK-EP/NEW FLESH-LP+live
CATHOLIC SPIT-LP/POPULATION-EP
HUGH BEAUMONT EXPERIENCE-EP
LOS CRUDOS/COKE BUST-live
TO THE POINT/YADOKAI/RITUAL CONTROL-live
COMMUNION OF THIEVES/SHARKPACT-live
TOTAL WAR – "8 Track Demo" – EP
Distort. Chaos. Repeat. While the raw-til-death aural and visual
fidelity would suggest that this was produced somewhere in Scandinavia
approximately fifteen to twenty years ago, TOTAL WAR hail from today's
ever-brilliant Vancouver scene, which at this point seems to spawn a
new killer band every other month or so. The cream of the demo tape
crop when it was released in 2011, two year later I'm still loving
every second of this; there's not a single wasted note, and these guys
are just plain incapable of writing a boring hook. Hands down one of
the best sets at last year's Subversion Fest—itself no small feat—this
recording captures that same sense of utter recklessness and abandon.
Cheers to Gas Mask for putting this on wax. (WB)
(Gas Mask)
FUCKING INVINCIBLE – "Please Await Further Instruction" EP
Pissed/disgusted hXc from Providence, this 7" finds FUCKING INVINCIBLE
trading off between creeping, deliberate powerviolence and some
surprisingly stoney dissonant breakdowns that I found my head bobbing
along to without even realizing it. Apparently this group draws
members from projects as diverse as DROPDEAD, DAUGHTERS and SOUL
CONTROL, and that's actually not half-bad as a formula for what to
expect here. Simple, but undeniably effective. I'm backing this. (WB)
(Atomic Action!)
CRASH – LP
Proud 80s HC worship from Mallorca, Spain, the insert is pastiche of
flyers and well-loved records from bands like NEGATIVE APPROACH and
ZERO BOYS (an obvious touchstone here), and that kind of sums up
CRASH's overall approach. Like so many retro-tribute acts, the sound
and style is spot-on, but without the standout songwriting that made
the old stuff classic in the first place; I've listened to this LP
twice now and could imagine listening a few more times without really
remembering any of the songs in particular. My favorite parts were
actually when they moved away from their hardcore…core…to a more
melodic punk sound, and the Oi!-ish song that closes out the album was
another welcome surprise. Unfortunately, most of what's at hand is
lost in the sea of bands going for the same old same old. (WB)
(Nuclear Fear/Old Kids Brigade/Inxausti/Eating Shit)
DREAMDECAY – "N V N V N V" LP
A murky, harrowing slice of hallucinogenic excess from the Pacific
Northwest, this record is what happens when art punks sit down and
take all the right drugs. The primal heaviness of late-period SWANS
looms over a maze of post-punk psychedelia, capturing the nauseous,
claustrophobic ego-purge of a mushroom trip through ritualistic,
meandering dirges that do not end so much as bleed out. I could go on
listing reference points—Only Theater-era CHRISTIAN DEATH definitely
stood out for me—but to do so would only detract from the thoroughly
original vision that DREAM DECAY has cultivated here. This is a
soundtrack for navel-gazing, through and through, showing the hippies,
burners and psydubglowstick warriors what a true soundtrack for
skullpeel looks like in 2013. I couldn't ask for more. (WB)
(Iron Lung)
KRANG – "Reclaim (De Aestus Espirit, Et Tu)" EP
Another entry in Profane Existence singles series (and probably the
best thus far), KRANG hail from Chicago, playing a thrashy breed of
stenchcore in the vein of DEVIATED INSTINCT and HELLSHOCK. They're
going for a dark atmosphere, but in the end this is definitely the fun
side of crust, with over-the-top guitar leads and a defiant use of the
whammy bar. This didn't come with any lyrics—an odd choice for an
anarcho-band, no?—but the vocals are spot-on, and help elevate this
above mere genre-clone status. Transparent, crisp production does make
this feel a bit 'pro metal' for my taste, and I ended up wishing I'd
heard it on a home-dubbed mixtape just to get the grit and kvlt
rawness of its 80s forbearers. (WB)
(Profane Existence)
LIGHT BEARER – "Silver Tongue" 2xLP
LIGHT BEARER is, to put it lightly, a band that is uninterested in
making music for the masses. Consider this as a thought experiment:
does the idea of a high-concept post-metal/neocrust opera appeal to
you? Drawing explicitly from Milton's Paradise Lost in its poetic
structure, Silver Tongue is second in a four-album(!) song cycle that
recasts the Biblical fall narrative as an exploration of themes no
less grandiose than morality, oppression and the human condition
itself. Comparisons to the vocalist's previous work in FALL OF EFRAFA
are inevitable, fair enough considering that this project retains the
method of pairing EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY-style guitar crescendo with
crusty atmospherics, but LIGHT BEARER goes a step further in
submerging any explicit ties to hardcore—much in the same way NEUROSIS
did a decade earlier. The quiet interludes were for me the most
compelling moments of this record, the fragile, dreamy vocals of
"Matriarch" adding a gothic touch of BLACK TAPE FOR A BLUE GIRL, while
"Clarus" hints at the whimsical neofolk of CURRENT 93. In lesser hands
this would have been a tiresome, indulgent mess, but LIGHT BEARER have
earned their spot at the apex of this particular style, and Silver
Tounge stands out as their definitive work thus far. (WB)
(Halo of Flies)
NUX VOMICA – "A Civilized World" LP
When I moved to Oakland in the summer of 2008, you couldn't throw a
beer can at a band without hitting someone with a NUX VOMICA patch
sewn to their dirty Carhartts. A manic blast of epic song structures,
acoustic intros and the ugly d-beat/pretty sludge push-pull that we
came to take for granted in those days, this repress of their debut
full-length will have any West Coast crustlord worth their salt
nostalgic for the mid-2000s. Though not my favorite NUX release (an
honor that belongs to their 2008 splits with KAKISTOCRACY and
especially THE MAKAI), A Civilized World is in many ways their opus,
transmuting the shredding thrash/death vibes of precursor band WAKE UP
ON FIRE into a baroque behemoth of new-school melocrust, one that
holds up quite well six years on. While the band sometimes gets lost
in their own technical abilities—most obviously in the absurd
shred-fest that is "The Final Election in a Crumbling Empire"—the bulk
of what's here is tasteful and well-conceived, and the second half of
this LP is pretty much flawless. (WB)
REALITY CONTROL-Document: 1980-1985-LP
ANTI-CIMEX-all EPs
TOTAL WAR-EP/CURMUDGEON-LP+live
DREAM DECAY-N V N V N V-LP
INDUSTRIAL PARK-EP/NEW FLESH-LP+live
CATHOLIC SPIT-LP/POPULATION-EP
HUGH BEAUMONT EXPERIENCE-EP
LOS CRUDOS/COKE BUST-live
TO THE POINT/YADOKAI/RITUAL CONTROL-live
COMMUNION OF THIEVES/SHARKPACT-live
TOTAL WAR – "8 Track Demo" – EP
Distort. Chaos. Repeat. While the raw-til-death aural and visual
fidelity would suggest that this was produced somewhere in Scandinavia
approximately fifteen to twenty years ago, TOTAL WAR hail from today's
ever-brilliant Vancouver scene, which at this point seems to spawn a
new killer band every other month or so. The cream of the demo tape
crop when it was released in 2011, two year later I'm still loving
every second of this; there's not a single wasted note, and these guys
are just plain incapable of writing a boring hook. Hands down one of
the best sets at last year's Subversion Fest—itself no small feat—this
recording captures that same sense of utter recklessness and abandon.
Cheers to Gas Mask for putting this on wax. (WB)
(Gas Mask)
FUCKING INVINCIBLE – "Please Await Further Instruction" EP
Pissed/disgusted hXc from Providence, this 7" finds FUCKING INVINCIBLE
trading off between creeping, deliberate powerviolence and some
surprisingly stoney dissonant breakdowns that I found my head bobbing
along to without even realizing it. Apparently this group draws
members from projects as diverse as DROPDEAD, DAUGHTERS and SOUL
CONTROL, and that's actually not half-bad as a formula for what to
expect here. Simple, but undeniably effective. I'm backing this. (WB)
(Atomic Action!)
CRASH – LP
Proud 80s HC worship from Mallorca, Spain, the insert is pastiche of
flyers and well-loved records from bands like NEGATIVE APPROACH and
ZERO BOYS (an obvious touchstone here), and that kind of sums up
CRASH's overall approach. Like so many retro-tribute acts, the sound
and style is spot-on, but without the standout songwriting that made
the old stuff classic in the first place; I've listened to this LP
twice now and could imagine listening a few more times without really
remembering any of the songs in particular. My favorite parts were
actually when they moved away from their hardcore…core…to a more
melodic punk sound, and the Oi!-ish song that closes out the album was
another welcome surprise. Unfortunately, most of what's at hand is
lost in the sea of bands going for the same old same old. (WB)
(Nuclear Fear/Old Kids Brigade/Inxausti/Eating Shit)
DREAMDECAY – "N V N V N V" LP
A murky, harrowing slice of hallucinogenic excess from the Pacific
Northwest, this record is what happens when art punks sit down and
take all the right drugs. The primal heaviness of late-period SWANS
looms over a maze of post-punk psychedelia, capturing the nauseous,
claustrophobic ego-purge of a mushroom trip through ritualistic,
meandering dirges that do not end so much as bleed out. I could go on
listing reference points—Only Theater-era CHRISTIAN DEATH definitely
stood out for me—but to do so would only detract from the thoroughly
original vision that DREAM DECAY has cultivated here. This is a
soundtrack for navel-gazing, through and through, showing the hippies,
burners and psydubglowstick warriors what a true soundtrack for
skullpeel looks like in 2013. I couldn't ask for more. (WB)
(Iron Lung)
KRANG – "Reclaim (De Aestus Espirit, Et Tu)" EP
Another entry in Profane Existence singles series (and probably the
best thus far), KRANG hail from Chicago, playing a thrashy breed of
stenchcore in the vein of DEVIATED INSTINCT and HELLSHOCK. They're
going for a dark atmosphere, but in the end this is definitely the fun
side of crust, with over-the-top guitar leads and a defiant use of the
whammy bar. This didn't come with any lyrics—an odd choice for an
anarcho-band, no?—but the vocals are spot-on, and help elevate this
above mere genre-clone status. Transparent, crisp production does make
this feel a bit 'pro metal' for my taste, and I ended up wishing I'd
heard it on a home-dubbed mixtape just to get the grit and kvlt
rawness of its 80s forbearers. (WB)
(Profane Existence)
LIGHT BEARER – "Silver Tongue" 2xLP
LIGHT BEARER is, to put it lightly, a band that is uninterested in
making music for the masses. Consider this as a thought experiment:
does the idea of a high-concept post-metal/neocrust opera appeal to
you? Drawing explicitly from Milton's Paradise Lost in its poetic
structure, Silver Tongue is second in a four-album(!) song cycle that
recasts the Biblical fall narrative as an exploration of themes no
less grandiose than morality, oppression and the human condition
itself. Comparisons to the vocalist's previous work in FALL OF EFRAFA
are inevitable, fair enough considering that this project retains the
method of pairing EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY-style guitar crescendo with
crusty atmospherics, but LIGHT BEARER goes a step further in
submerging any explicit ties to hardcore—much in the same way NEUROSIS
did a decade earlier. The quiet interludes were for me the most
compelling moments of this record, the fragile, dreamy vocals of
"Matriarch" adding a gothic touch of BLACK TAPE FOR A BLUE GIRL, while
"Clarus" hints at the whimsical neofolk of CURRENT 93. In lesser hands
this would have been a tiresome, indulgent mess, but LIGHT BEARER have
earned their spot at the apex of this particular style, and Silver
Tounge stands out as their definitive work thus far. (WB)
(Halo of Flies)
NUX VOMICA – "A Civilized World" LP
When I moved to Oakland in the summer of 2008, you couldn't throw a
beer can at a band without hitting someone with a NUX VOMICA patch
sewn to their dirty Carhartts. A manic blast of epic song structures,
acoustic intros and the ugly d-beat/pretty sludge push-pull that we
came to take for granted in those days, this repress of their debut
full-length will have any West Coast crustlord worth their salt
nostalgic for the mid-2000s. Though not my favorite NUX release (an
honor that belongs to their 2008 splits with KAKISTOCRACY and
especially THE MAKAI), A Civilized World is in many ways their opus,
transmuting the shredding thrash/death vibes of precursor band WAKE UP
ON FIRE into a baroque behemoth of new-school melocrust, one that
holds up quite well six years on. While the band sometimes gets lost
in their own technical abilities—most obviously in the absurd
shred-fest that is "The Final Election in a Crumbling Empire"—the bulk
of what's here is tasteful and well-conceived, and the second half of
this LP is pretty much flawless. (WB)
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