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

LE KRAKEN – "Exalt" LP
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)

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)