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)

Year-End Top Ten for 2012

MAUSER – "Isolation" EP (La Vida Es Un Mus / Vinyl Rites)

MAUSER are one of those bands where every release manages to outshine the one that came before it, and the latest 12" only cements their spot at the top of the current U.S. raw punk dogpile. Crossed paths with these dudes on tour in New Orleans, where they tore the roof off the tiny cafe space we were playing, and they had hands-down one of the best sets at Chaos in Tejas. Their drummer is a fucking beast (Hi Mike!), and "Deterioration" is a serious contender for my favorite mid-tempo hardcore song ever. That upcoming tour with FOLKEIIS and MUNDO MUERTO is definitely one of the more exciting things I'm looking forward to in 2013.

PERMANENT RUIN – Demo (Self-Released) + "Hell is Real" EP (Adelante Discos)

There's no question in my mind, PERMANENT RUIN was the Bay Area hardcore band of 2012, playing about a million shows and blowing away every single crowd with their blistering, faster-than-thou anthems of smash. What's not to love? All three of their releases from last year (a bulk of the demo was released as a flexi by Radical Punks Never Die) are shining examples of what DIY can aspire to, with brillantly searing artwork and lyrics and absolutely killer recordings. Some of the best noise not music made by some of the raddest people in punk. Never sleep.

RØSENKØPF – LP (Weird)

Far and away the most-played new record in my house last year. The eau d'goth was certainly in the air in 2012, but no one can accuse RØSENKØPF of being trend-followers or retro knockoffs, if for no other reason than there's simply no one else making sounds out there quite like this (if you put a gun to my head I guess I'd describe it as psychedelic anarcho-industrial darkwave?). Their live set was something else, employing a whole mess of fun toys to realize those throbbing, trance-inducing beats by any and all means necessary. We played with them on a show in El Paso (watching Soren discover his first night out that he'd accidentally bought a four-foot-long kids sleeping bag was definitely up there for most adorable moment of tour) and when I caught them two weeks later at Oakland's Terminal they were even more mind-bogglingly seamless.

CLOUD RAT –  splits with REPUBLIC OF DREAMS (IFB / Moment Of Collapse / React With Protest / 50 Year Storm) and XTRA VOMIT (IFB)

CLOUD RAT have been around for a few years, but like many folks I came across them only recently, having been instantly converted upon hearing their split with XTRA VOMIT a few months ago. CLOUD RAT are indeed a grind band, but one whose lineage has as much to with (fucking great) screamo and the dreamy, esoteric margins of black metal as it does with ASSÜCK (don't worry, these kids probably totally love ASSÜCK too). "Emotive" is a descriptor that would make a lot of trve grind fans gag, but fuck 'em, because CLOUD RAT are putting out some of the best loudfastshit in the world right now. Their LP "Moksha" is coming out any day now and I will be shocked if it's not one of the best records of 2013.

ZYANOSE – "Noise Philia 2005-2011" LP (540 / Todo Destruido) + "Isolation" EP (Distort Reality)

Japan's most glorious crasher crust disaster, ZYANOSE have recognized that bringing the chaos is a practice best informed by being totally wasted, and this is an ethos which obviously permeates everything that they do as a band. There were so many memorable sets at Chaos in Tejas (still can't get over how good WINTER was) but ZYANOSE was easily the most boisterous and fun, and their ability to produce absolutely paint-peeling noize punk shriek with two basses and no guitars still has me scratching my head six months later. The discography roundup is totally essential for anyone who recognizes that inner ear canals are extremely overrated, while the new EP shows off a band at the top of their game, doing what they do best and clearly having way too much fun. "Aaaaaaaaaargh" never sounded so sweet.

ALARIC/ATRIARCH – split LP (20 Buck Spin)

Another record that I know I'll be listening to for many years to come, this split was the logical conclusion of a long-time affinity between the two bands, who have toured together more than once and who I've personally seen play together more times than I can count. ALARIC are one of the few modern acts whose effects-laden sound I'd consider worthy of comparison to THE CHAMELEONS (my favorite post-punk band), and I continue to be amazed by their ability to stay true to their early 80s source material within an utterly modern recording aesthetic. "So Far Down" is one of most memorable tracks in their repertoire but the closer "Weep" is the real standout here, an absolutely devastating riff that builds out into an wistful, expansive dirge; I'm not exaggerating when I say ranks up there as one of my favorite goth/post-punk songs of all time. ATRIARCH continue to refine their CHRISTIAN DEATH-meets-blackened doom approach to great effect, and I think the material here is their finest, most coherent to date.

WATER TORTURE – "Shellfire!" EP (Diseased Audio) + splits w/ SEA OF SHIT (Diseased Audio) and THEDOWNGOING (Nerve Altar)

We have seen the future and it is fucking horrid. Mutants of all stripes will find refuge in the demented sounds of WATER TORTURE, where fist-crushing powerviolence merges with all manner of bleep-blorping electronic goodness to bring the MAN IS THE BASTARD trajectory into the 24th century. Splits with some of the best punky blasters out there right now only seal the deal: WATER TORTURE are one of the most exciting bands I got into last year, and probably the most fun I've had listening to a grind record since that crazy PSUDOKU rewired my consciousness in late 2011.

HEXIS – "Seputus/Fatum" 45 (Black Lake / Skaven / Monotonstudio / Enjoyment / Gardens / Braincrushing) + "X" EP (IFB/Maximum Douglas/Orchid Scent/Parade of Spectres/Panda Banda)

Nightmare music of the highest order. In a year that saw so many mediocre (not to mention sketchy) fusions of black metal and dark hardcore, HEXIS from Copenhagen were one of the few that did it right, integrating European heaviness a la BLACK FREIGHTER into a deliciously nauseating mindfuck that bears an avant-garde kinship with bands like PORTAL and EHNAHRE. No matter how many times I listen to these songs, HEXIS always seems to trigger the same sense of anxiety and impending doom. Then again, I keep putting it back on…

BELGRADO – "Panopticon/Vicious Circle" 45 (La Vida Es Un Mus)

It would have been easy for BELGRADO to stumble or stall after releasing their landmark self-titled LP, but if their newest material is any indication, the creative well has far from run dry. Lucky for the rest of us! As we all know by now, it's easy enough to throw on some reverb and recreate that sound, but BELGRADO set themselves apart from so many post-punk revivalists by writing great fucking songs, and the two at hand are no exception. The vocals—and oh, that guitar tone!—retain an instant familiarity, but with a strangely timeless quality, and there's no denying their mastery when it comes to painting paranoid landscapes with an almost cinematic precision. I don't want to say that their set at 1-2-3-4 Go! was a revelation—that's way too corny—but I think I just did.

COMMUNION OF THIEVES – "To Serve Man" Demo (Self-Released)

At the risk of gushing, COMMUNION OF THIEVES are basically in 'dream band' territory for me, tempering their epic d-beat crust foundation with a dose of gorgeously atmospheric black metal to produce some of the most incredible songs I've heard in the decade or so that I've been listening to punk. Lyrics in Spanish and English explore feminism, religion and the soul-crushing realities of industrial civilization with a first-hand focus on the experiences of immigrants on the U.S./Mexico border, and Alison's perfectly caustic vocals add a whole other dimension to the music. The first time I came through El Paso on tour COMMUNION OF THIEVES was supposed to play but had to drop at the last minute, being replaced by their awesome death metal/crust side project NUCLEAR SCORN. Needless to say, I was thrilled when we got booked with COMMUNION and RØSENKØPF this time around, and it would be an understatement to say they exceeded all of my expectations; seriously, some of the most inspired drum work I've ever had the pleasure of seeing live. Real talk, there is no band in the world right now whose first full-length I want to hear more.

Reissues

DISCHARGE – All EPs (Havoc)
WARRIOR KIDS – "Les Enfants De L'Espoir" LP (Katorga Works)
KNOTS – "Action/Heartbreaker" 45 (Last Laugh)
VARUKERS – "Another Religion, Another War" LP  (Havoc)
CURRICULUM MORTIS – "Sentencia de Muerte" LP (Ultra Sonido)
PICTURE FRAME SEDUCTION – "Hand of the Rider" LP (Queer Pills)
THE DICKS – "Hate The Police" EP (1-2-3-4 Go!)
MAN IS THE BASTARD / AUNT MARY – split (Six Weeks)
ABUSE – "Manifest: 1994-2004 Discography" CD (Haunted Hotel)
ABADDON – "Wet Za Wet" LP (Warsaw Pact)



More records that ruled it: D-CLONE LP, PUTREFACTION LP, REIVERS LP, PASSIV DÖDSHJÄLP EP, NO STATIK EPs + LP, HAMMERS 10", CONDITION EP, NEW FLESH DEMO, DAWN OF HUMANS EP, CRIMINAL CODE LP + EPs, AGE OF COLLAPSE LP, HUNTING PARTY EP, LOTUS FUCKER LP, SYSTEMATIK DEMO, FORWARD LP, SICK/TIRED EP, TEMPEST EP, TRAGEDY LP, T.A.D.R.O.E.V. DEMO, VACCINE/COKE BUST SPLIT, RAPE REVENGE EP, VUEVE S.S. EP + SPLIT, HUMANXWASTE DEMO, HOST EP, NEON PISS LP, DNF EP, JUNGBLUTH DEMO, KROMOSOM EP, TO THE POINT EP, ORDSTRO DEMO, CRIMSON SCARLET 45, YADOKAI EP, SIX BREW BANTHA LP, ANASAZI DEMO, ARCHAGATHUS/PIZZA HI-FIVE SPLIT, YADOKAI EP, REPLICA DEMO, GHASTLY SPATS EP

August 2012 - #351

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

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

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

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

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

June 2013 – #349

V/A – “‘Society Best’” LP
An ultra-cheep label omnibus from Antisociety, a newer outfit focused on repressing rare and out-of-print recordings from classic UK anarcho-punk bands. Accordingly, most of the stuff here are demo and live versions along with the occasional studio track, including ZOUNDS' bid for the greatest anarcho-anthem of all time, "Can't Cheat Karma." Odds and sods comps like this all too easily play out like effort to squeeze a quick buck from the leftover detritus of long-defunct acts, but luckily we're talking about one of the more fertile periods in punk history, and pretty much everything here is more than worthwhile for fans of peace punk and early crust. The roster is almost a who's who of the era, including the ever-underrated ANTI-SYSTEM, ANTISECT, PINK TURDS IN SPACE (who I had shamefully never heard before!), DOOM, ALTERNATIVE, and VARUKERS, not to mention a cut from the always-cute early DISCHARGE demos, goofy Johnny Rotten impression and all. I was intrigued by super lo-fi cut from REALITY ATTACK off of the label’s "Bullsheep Detector," which appears to be a compilation of Welsh anarcho-bands from the first half of the 1980s. That sounds awesome, and this is too. (WB)
(Antisociety)

HUNTING PARTY – “Sub Rosa With Whispered Pacts” EP
Building on its members’ experience in some of the best Bay Area hardcore acts of the past few years—MIGRAINE, VACCUUM, ECOLI, and YADOKAI, to name only a few—HUNTING PARTY play dark, menacing USHC that harkens back to a time when loyalty to hardcore meant more than a willingness to adhere to some played-out formula. This attitude comes to a head on the second half of “Straight Shooter,” where drums and vocals cut out leaving nothing but feedback and a single, pulsing guitar riff before everyone comes back in for a final two-second burst of rage…fucking brilliant. With molasses-thick guitar tone and an fittingly gritty vocal delivery, this records simply exudes toughness (though not machismo) without relying on generic breakdowns or having to waste time telling you about it. (WB)
(Hesitation Wounds)

WILD//TRIBE – "Endless Nights" CD
Required listening for all dedicated pogo wolves. Fort Worth's WILD//TRIBE dish out explosive, speed-crazy hardcore punk that owes more than a little bit to the shredding glory of Japanese bands like FORWARD and BASTARD, forgoing any sense of pretense in favor of songs about what's real in life: nonconformity, getting wasted, and bitter disappointment. Everything is airtight and totally overboard, but what really takes things to the next level are the lightning-fast melodic bass lines…seriously, the dude is unreal. I can only imagine the debauchery and excess that this band conjures up live, but for now, go ahead and put your money where your mouth is, break a beer bottle over your head and crank this way too loud. (WB)
(Under The Surface / Punkalive / Rescued from Life)

PIG CHAMPION – “Grief” EP
Not a previously-unheard of split by Boston sludge/doom titans GRIEF as the artwork initially led me to believe, this is in fact a concept EP from Chicago’s PIG CHAMPION, exploring the five stages of grief via mostly forgettable metallic hardcore. Tough, thrashy, and fast is this band’s bread-and-butter, but it’s the punishing, claustrophobic breakdowns that stand out here; the EP’s best song, “Depression,” is pretty much straight doom metal. Can't say I'm impressed with the total package, though I must tip my hat to PIG CHAMPION for bringing as much party mosh as they do to Dr. Elizabeth Kübler-Ross' notion of the psychological process of acceptance. (WB)
(Self-released)

OILTANKER / NO TOMORROW – split LP
I'll always remember OILTANKER as a bastion of crusty glory in the wilderness that was my time living in Connecticut, a state where I was on at least one occasion locked in a room and forced to listen to an entire HATEBREED record by my so-called "friends" in the hardcore scene. OILTANKER more than do justice to that nostalgic memory here, their crushing live energy captured perfectly with a manic,  d-beat sound that takes the raw appeal of bands like DOOM into the twenty-first century. NO TOMORROW's side, on the other hand, failed to grab my attention, offering a rather unexceptional take on the same "Portland sound" that's launched a thousand more-or-less interchangeable melodic crust bands in the past decade. They do a competent job, no doubt, and fans of the style would be wise to check them out, but other than that there's not much to write home about. My kudos to everyone involved in this release for selecting a tone of colored vinyl that makes the whole thing look just like a giant turd. (WB)
(Profane Existence)