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)
Showing posts with label power violence. Show all posts
Showing posts with label power violence. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Saturday, January 3, 2015
July 2014 – #374
Top Ten:
GOOD THROB-Fuck Off-LP
PRIMATE RESEARCH-Final-EP
RADIOACTIVITY-LP/DISTURD-45
GAS RAG-Beats Off-LP
AHNA/CETASCEAN-split LP/OSK-10"
CONFRONT-LP/LUBRICANTS-45
ELSINORES-Dreams of Youth-LP
'O' LEVEL-Pseudo Punk-LP
ZYANOSE/FRENZY/ABSOLUT/ZANNA NERA-live
HIGH FUNCTIONING FLESH/CRIMSON SCARLET-live
GENTLE ART OF CHOKIN/RESURRECTIONISTS – split LP
Two sides of first-rate Euro-style emoviolence, this is a must-have
for fans of modern-day heavies like SVFFER and LENTIC WATERS. I beg
the reader to see past GENTLE ART OF CHOKIN’s terrible name (I guess
it’s a reference to some fancy gold plates you can buy on TV or
something?) in order to see that they’re making some seriously fierce
grind/screamo/crust, ending up sounding somewhat like German
hardcore’s answer to CLOUD RAT and SIXBREWBANTHA. RESURRECTIONISTS
bring their own mathy take on a comparable sound, trading in some of
the manic overstimulation of the flipside for a focus on precision and
to-the-gut hardcore. Not a wasted note on either side, just firm,
efficient grind for the brutal kids. (WB)
(IFB / React with Protest / Moment of Collapse)
ROBOCOP/DETROIT – split LP
This is a repress of the 2012 split between two newer bands making
waves in the North American power violence scene, titled Dead
Language, Foreign Bodies. ROBOCOP stay true to genre form with a
chunky take on the traditional hardcore blasting, adding some
intelligence to the lyrics that I can't say I expected from a grind
band named ROBOCOP. They veer a little too far into metallic hXc for
my taste at times, and that major-scale riff on "Room 641A" kinda hurt
my soul, but they also manage to pull off a pretty sweet sax solo on
the tongue-in-cheek "Feminism Über Alles", and I really liked the,
ahem, experimental pastiche "Zapruder Frame 265." DETROIT take a far
more shit-fi approach to the whole thing, fusing punishing-yet-thin
breakdowns with blurry fastcore and some straight-up punk beats in
there for good measure. The vocals sound desperate and pained in the
best way, adding a slightly screamotional appeal, and they even
stretch into under-two-minute melodic epicness on "Into You". Hearing
this split is making me nostalgic for Squamish's infamous Fastcore
Fest, maybe I'll have to head up there again this year… (WB)
(Give Praise)
PROSPERITY DENIED/SIX SCORE – split LP
A dual slice of metallic hardcore rage from Austria, these bands take
different approaches yet fit together quite well. Wien’s SIX SCORE
blast through eleven tracks of grinding dark hardcore, adding samples
and a nice touch of death metal to the proceedings along with the
requisite double-kick d-beat. If you can hang with the metallic side
of grind you’ll find a lot to like here, although I found the vocals
and overall production to be kind of a grating after a few songs. They
definitely lost me with some of the moshcore breakdowns on the second
half, oof. Speaking of death metal and dubious mosh parts, PROSPERITY
DENIED from Mödling get points for naming a song “Fermented Grapes of
Wrath”, but a more punk XIBALBA is just not something I’ve been
looking for. Why anyone would want to use a PARLIAMENT bass-synth on a
metal record is beyond me, and the DANZIG-goes-melodic-hardcore
experiment on the closing track? No, thanks. (WB)
(Bloody Lips)
WAKE/REHASHED – split EP
Where the goofy meets the grind. REHASHED hail from Saskatoon,
layering their fun, throwbacky palm-muted hardcore with a whole mess
of thrash leads, unconcerned with who they make giggle in the process.
To be fair, these guys are about as tight as it gets, and definitely
know how to shred, even if they haven't made the crucial realization
that it doesn't always actually make the songs good. Calgary's WAKE go
through the usual grindcore motions, but in the absence of any
dynamics, tasty riffs or interesting vocals it gets pretty monotonous
pretty fast (no pun intended). Completists will no doubt want to hear
this for themselves, but for the rest of us this is honestly a pretty
inessential offering. (WB)
(Give Praise)
CLOUD RAT/ORGULLO PRIMITIVO – split EP
If you haven't heard Michigan's CLOUD RAT by now, I don't know what to
tell you; this is probably the fourth or fifth time I've written about
them in these pages, and they've been consistently putting out some of
the most compelling grind and atmospheric black metal-infused hardcore
to come out in years. The material here builds on the massive Moksha
LP, with a harsh, crisp production that gets downright beautiful at a
moment's notice, only to drop back into a smothering whirlwind of
blasts. The slower parts on "Skin Flowers" make their recently outing
with THOU make a whole lot more sense, but CLOUD RAT are nothing if
not a band that refuses easy comparisons. The flipside by ORGULLO
PRIMITIVO ("Primitive Orgasm") is a out-and-out experimental fuckfest,
moving as seamlessly as one could possibly hope between spastic bursts
of multi-voice spoken word poetry, solos for drum and vibraphone (!),
and some seriously creepy drum-and-vox "black metal". Zoinks! (WB)
(IFB)
PRIMATE RESEARCH – "Final" EP
Man, it's been a minute since I heard an American band that went for
the early 2000s neocrust thing and just fucking nailed it. No skramz,
no post-rock buildup yawn fests, just siqq'n'brutal d-beat-centric
punk played with intelligent fury and an unquestionable influence from
the scene that produced DEATHREAT and HIS HERO IS GONE. A power
violence element reveals itself a few tracks in, adding some extra
speed along with a sharp-yet-primal sense of dynamics. Personnel from
COMBATWOUNDEDVETERAN and HOLY MOUNTAIN make the success of this
Tampa-based unit a no-brainer, and if you need any more convincing,
they also manange a fucking great take on DISRUPT's "Squandered" with
the singer from SACRIDOSE. (WB)
(Financial Ruin/All We Know)
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)
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)
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
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
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
Monday, November 18, 2013
October 2012 – #353
Top Ten:
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)
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)
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