Record of the Week: Berlin Tristesse compilation EP
Right out of the gate, this compilation of Berlin punk/hardcore bands kills. BITTER CROP plays a straightforward mid-tempo punk song that was over before I could finish typing that sentence. Their song is pissed and would be a perfect fit on any punk mixtape. MÜLLTÜTE blasts through their style of completely perfect, totally fucking pissed hardcore that it catchy as fuck. I love them. NUCLEAR CULT almost approaches grind speeds, but then settles into a slow stoner-style breakdown that ends before you can light up that first toke. EARTH CRUST DISPLACEMENT has a bit of a noisy Japanese hardcore/crust vibe. PEACEBASTARD plays straight up raging hardcore with a singer going so full throttle that they’re sure to have some throat problems later in life. PIG// CONTROL rages the shit out of some blazing “no fucking control” German hardcore. CRACK UNDER PRESSURE is blast-beat mania and reminds me a little bit of SPAZZ if they didn’t have a sense of humor. This comp is a perfect snapshot of the Berlin hardcore scene right now and flies by in a matter of minutes, which is wonderful for people like me who feel like hardcore should always be short, fast and loud as fuck.
(HeartFirst Records)
