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)

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)

October 2012 – #353

Top Ten:

GHASTLY SPATS-Flesh Thing-EP

FUTURO-Sair de Mim-EP

REPLICA-flexi+live

WATER TORTURE-Shellfire!-EP

NO STATIK-Everywhere You're Not Looking-LP

TRUNCHEONS-Cashing in on Freedom-EP

HOAX-Discipline-EP

KNOTS-Heartbreaker/Action-45

COMMUNION OF THIEVES-demo+live

RAPE REVENGE/STRESSXRELIEF/DNF-live

GOUM – NOISESAP CD

Some truly strange and progressive female-fronted hardcore punk from Japan, this took me a little while to warm up to but now I must admit I'm quite into it. This very modern-sounding album has a definite 'everything and the kitchen sink' approach, bouncing between stoney FLOWER TRAVELLIN' BAND worship, rock'n'roll-y hardcore, and even some very 90s dream pop/shoegaze without feeling incoherent and/or watered-down as genre-hopping experiments so often do. Certain parts could be compared to the poppy side of BORIS, and the final instrumental 'Still You Say It's Safe?' is one such high point, doing the post-metal thing better than 97% of the bands in that safest of heavy genres. While the lyrics for 'Rotten Apple' are undeniably sketchy ("Those women that desire to be treated equally to men easily get carried away/Selfish-cunts taking advantage of their feminity"), the broader context makes it unclear if they're intended as dark satire or merely reactionary anti-feminism. One thing is for sure, this album isn't about easy answers. I for one can't quite get it out of my mind. (WB)

(Narm Discos)



MALATESTA - ABWESEND EP

Hailing from Munich and named for a 19th-century champion of insurrectionary anarchism, MALATESTA specialize in brooding melodic crust with the occasional hint of metal. Not all that gritty for a crust record, the combination of epic d-beats, forceful chugging and melancholic guitar work here recalls bands like ÖROKU minus the cello, while the obscure, washed out production adds several layers of screamotional depth. The vocal range on this record is simply fantastic, and really ties the whole thing together. A record to be listened to with pinkies raised, this is totally worth your time. (WB)

(self-released)



PYROKLAST – THE MADNESS CONFOUNDS LP

These guys nail the sound they're going for and it's catchy as shit at points, but to be honest I'm having trouble caring about what PYROKLAST have to offer here. These guys play no-bullshit, straight-ahead hardcore punk complete with the most cookie-cutter of left-wing punx politics, but the overall vibe is here more like crusty thrash metal. There's some nods to NYHC and thrashcore in there too, and those parts do help to break from the monotony of PYROKLAST's meat-and-potatoes shreddy hardcore, but the basic m.o. has already been done to death by every mediocre band formed in the wake of AUS ROTTEN. The guitar players are fuckin' shredders and there's no denying the hooks that are simply lying all over this record, but in the end it makes me think about beer bongs way more than I generally like my hardcore to. There's thousands of punks all over the world who would eat this right up, but sadly I ain't one of them. Oh well. (WB)

(Agipunk)



V/A – TOR JOHNSON RECORDS TEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY OMNIBUS EP

I can't confess to any real familiarity with the Tor aside from their D-list namesake and the THEY AND THE CHILDREN CD they put out years ago (props), but this little nugget makes about as compelling of a case for checking out their back catalogue as I can imagine. The first track is probably my favorite, a previously unreleased dose of crushing German-style metallic crust by Providence's SAINT JUDE. NOW DENIAL add a lo-fi pop-punk feel to their nonetheless super-legit take on the MISFITS' "We Bite", while THE PRETTY FACES manage to integrate some pretty killer toy piano melodies into their enjoyable melange of screamo, post-hardcore and NIRVANA-influenced alt-rock guitar. Finally, the awesomely-named A FINE BOAT, THAT COFFIN round things out with some fairly glitchy electronica paired with hardcore vocals. DIY as fuck right down to the recycled covers (mine came from a DIONNE WARWICK LP!), this rules, ok? (WB)

(Tor Johnson)



NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT – DOG LP

Heavy and bleak dual-vocal punishment from Western Australia, NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT offer up an enticing combo of sludge, powerviolence, and hardcore snarl that can't help but impress. A song cycle about mental illness and alienation accompanied by some fantastically schizoid artwork, words like discomfort, shame, and fffuuuuuuck are but a few brought to mind by this release. Never resting on a particular sound for too long, the band manifests an appropriately oppressive atmosphere throughout, to maddening effect. This is what they call a "total package". Get on it. (WB)

(Coffin Cut)



SEVEN SISTERS OF SLEEP – SUNDOWN EP

From the appropriately hellish wasteland of Orange County, this is dark hardcore for the Satan/weed set, pretty fucking good stuff. The requisite A389 mid-tempo pummel is in full effect, thick metallic hardcore a la XIBALBA punctuated by murky black metal and spot-on sludgecore breakdowns that had me headbanging impulsively. Sisters of SLEEP indeed, you can tell these guys have spent plenty of time on a certain 'Holy Mountain', and they're particularly indebted to Chris Hiakus' rightfully-legendary cymbal-plod. No complaints here. This single 7" comes in a gatefold sleeve just so it can contain the accompanying bonus CD, poster, download card, and embroidered patch that come with it. This, in turn, begs several questions. Like, why does one need a download card if a CD copy is included? And, more importantly, who wants to pay $13 for a 3-song EP? Fucking ridiculous. (WB)

(A389)

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)