Reviews

Jeff Cost

Completed Exposition / Maxxpower split LP

Osaka’s COMPLETED EXPOSITION teams up with Montreal’s MAXXPOWER to deliver a blistering platter of fastcore that hits like a series of rabbit punches to the face. COMPLETED EXPOSITION’s side showcases dual vocals and includes a few longer tracks with mosh parts to drive your circle pits. MAXXPOWER lives up to their name, blasting through fourteen tracks, half of which clock in at thirty seconds or less, clearly drawing inspiration from the Slap-a-Ham roster. Their songs feature plenty of starts and stops with the occasional mosh part, all powered by drumming that seems almost impossibly fast. This split is highly recommended for fans of classic powerviolence played at utterly insane speeds. Check out the whole split. It’ll only take you a few minutes.

Poison Idea Blank Blackout Vacant 2xLP reissue

The legendary POISON IDEA from Portland, Oregon sees their fourth studio album, 1992’s Blank Blackout Vacant, reissued by TKO Records and their own label, American Leather Records (again) in this newly remastered and remixed version of the 2020 deluxe reissue. This double-LP gatefold includes an extra LP’s worth of B-sides, rarities, covers, and four songs recorded live on KBOO. The covers include tracks originally by DEAD BOYS, the WHO, and BOOKER T. & THE MG’S. While this doesn’t quite pack the same punch as their earlier releases, it stands above most soundalike bands playing this type of punk/hard rock with metal influences. Recommended for fans of the band and collectors who need every damn version. Check out: “Smack Attack.”

V/A Locked in the Basement, Collection 1 LP

Locked in the Basement: Collection 1 is a gritty vinyl compilation that rips through 20 tracks from 20 underground bands in Bethlehem, PA and the surrounding area’s scenes. Born out of the pandemic and fueled by DIY ethos, this project is raw to the bone. The recordings are rough and unapologetic, capturing everything from crust to street punk, post-punk, and grindcore—so don’t expect polish, but get ready for a jolt of unfiltered energy. Standout cuts from ONE SIDED, ALEMENT, CHISELED LILLIES, RA!D, BRAZEN HELL, and PALE FANG tear through the noise, proving this collection isn’t about perfection, it’s about power. Pressed on blood-red vinyl with black splatters, the album also includes a booklet packed with fun stories from the bands’ sessions. Recommended for people who give no shits about recording quality and are interested in checking out what seems to be kind of a cool document of the bands playing in and around this scene since 2020.

Compulsion / Wrong War split LP

This split LP from Chicago’s COMPULSION and WRONG WAR, released by Council Records, features five tracks from each band. WRONG WAR, featuring former members from CURRENT, OTTAWA, and the PHENOMS, delivers energetic and driving songs that incorporate spacious arrangements and interesting guitar work. Their songwriting, paired with Matthias Weeks’ powerful vocals, harkens back to some of those late-’80s/early-’90s Dischord bands while retaining that classic Chicago hardcore drive. This is some great shit. COMPULSION’s side maintains a lot of the energy found in WRONG WAR’s tracks but sacrifices the refinement. Their gritty, mid-tempo hardcore is punctuated by Ebro Virumbrales’ bellowing vocals and an abundance of self-indulgent guitar licks. This side is recommended for fans of BLACK FLAG. Check out: “Profit Net” by WRONG WAR.

Upright Forms Blurred Wires CD

UPRIGHT FORMS’ album Blurred Wires showcases a more accessible side of Nick Sakes, the singer/guitarist formerly of DAZZLING KILLMEN, COLOSSAMITE, and XADDAX. The Minneapolis-based trio offers a blend of bass-heavy, dynamic noise rock tracks that are tempered with softer, more indie rock moments, as heard on songs like “Drive at Night,” “Long Shadow,” and “Animositine.” The album walks a line between angular rock aggression and a mellower approach, reminiscent of some of those old Amphetamine Reptile bands in one moment and indie rock bands like the PIXIES in the next. It’s perfect for fans of discordant, energetic rock who have mellowed slightly with time and don’t always need the intensity cranked up. It’s good stuff.

H,K, Now is the Time to Change the Earth (1989–2024 Best of H,K,) CD

H,K, from Shizuoka, Japan formed in 1989, and this is a collection of tracks drawn from various tapes, compilations, and splits recorded between 1991 and 2005. Unlike some of their contemporaries, H,K,’s brand of hardcore doesn’t rely so heavily on speed or thrash elements; instead, they weave a melodic thread through many of their songs that softens their sound. Kili’s wavering vocals frequently evoke the spirit of Jello Biafra, and I enjoyed their use of gang/backing vocals. Many of the tracks tend to run longer than typical hardcore offerings, with ten out of twenty-four songs exceeding three minutes. While the sound quality starts off a bit rough in the earliest recordings, it notably improves in the later tracks. The entire collection grew on me over time, but I think my favorite songs come from the Shuzuoka Hardcore comp. Check out: “Discrimination Violence.”

Zulu A New Tomorrow LP

L.A.-based hardcore band ZULU delivered an explosive and genre-expanding experience with their 2023 release, A New Tomorrow. Clocking in at under thirty minutes, the fifteen-track album intersperses metallic hardcore and powerviolence with unexpected yet cohesive elements like soul-jazz instrumentals, spoken word poetry, violin and piano, and clips of classic reggae and soul songs that act as musical interludes and add layers of political and cultural commentary. This isn’t just a hardcore album. It is a love letter to the exultation of Black culture, identity, resilience, and joy, balancing both anger and hope in its sound and message. The record is filled with plenty of heavy riffs and spinkick-inducing breakdowns, but it’s also deeply thoughtful and it might challenge some listeners to open their minds to some new sounds and ideas. Recommended for fans of the heavy and fast who are open to a blend of genres and a strongly underrepresented point-of-view in extreme music. A New Tomorrow stands out as a vital record in today’s expanding scene. Check out: “Fakin’ Tha Funk (You Get Did).”

Ann Beretta DCxPC Live Presents, Vol. 21: The Last Songs Live LP

This recording of ANN BERETTA’s final show at Richmond Music Hall in 2023 marks the end of a nearly 30-year run for the band. Spanning thirteen tracks, it’s a tour through their catalog of mid-tempo rock’n’roll that draws inspiration from bands like RANCID, GREEN DAY, and ONE MAN ARMY. Instead of any middle-finger-waving theatrics, these guys give the impression of being very earnest players in a long-running band that never really made it big. While the performance lacks the raw energy of the group in their prime, the sound quality is pretty good and the band’s heart is on full display. One high point is when STRIKE ANYWHERE singer Thomas Barnett joins the band for “The Real America.” This album may not be the best introduction to their music, but it’s probably a great memento for long-time fans.

Red Cross 1981–1982 No Message LP

Richmond, Virginia’s RED CROSS serves up a potent dose of early ’80s hardcore punk with their album 1981–1982 No Message. Originally intended as their debut LP in 1982, the album was shelved when the band broke up before its release. It later appeared in a very limited cassette run, but this marks its first appearance on vinyl after over 40 years. The fourteen tracks, clocking in at about twenty-five minutes, are a straight-up blast of early hardcore energy, with some songs sounding like they could have been missing tracks from This is Boston, Not L.A. The singer’s voice sometimes carries a bit of a Tesco Vee snarl. The album kicks off strong and fast, but the momentum stutters a bit on Side B. It wraps up with a live track and a humorous radio spot, providing a touch of nostalgia. Members went on to form the mighty WHITE CROSS, making this release an interesting document of Richmond’s hardcore lineage.

Pure Intention Faults and Fallacies cassette

Chicago three-piece PURE INTENTION brings a high-energy jolt of punk-infused rock with their tape Faults and Fallacies, delivering six tracks that range from one to three minutes while channeling a strong Scando influence. It’s a pretty good time, but the tape loses momentum with “Fallacy,” which meanders a bit and incorporates George-fucking-W. Bush samples that I found more confusing than effective. Despite this, the tape is a spirited listen that made me feel like it would be hella fun to watch them play while throwing back some beers at a dive bar. The standout track, “No Control,” is a pedal-to-the-metal romp with fun gang vocals.

 

Psyop Dare to Live EP

PSYOP’s Dare to Live, recorded in West Liberty, Iowa in 2022 and released through Iowa City’s DIY label Pokeys Recordz, is a blistering, no-frills hardcore attack from the Midwest. This four-piece band puts speed above precision with these eight guitar-driven songs, each never crossing the two-minute mark. While most of these songs would fit right in on an ’80s hardcore comp, at times they also veer into noise rock territory, like in “State Violence,” which echoes the dissonant weirdness of Goo-era SONIC YOUTH. Singer Dolly Sperry (also of BOOTCAMP) sing-talks lyrics tackling topics like war apathy and police brutality, rejecting meat consumption and finding solidarity in an anti-authoritarian tribe. It’s raw, urgent, and unpolished in the best possible way. I hope they lean further into the weird without sacrificing the energy. Check out the track “Dare to Live.”

Mènage Dètroit I’m a Fool / Would You Say (I’m in Love) cassette

This Detroit-based guitar-and-drums duo delivers two tracks, “I’m a Fool” and “Would You Say (I’m in Love),” firmly rooted in ’60s/garage rock influences. The playing is loose and raw, with a gritty, unpolished energy that fits their sound but the muddy production doesn’t do them any favors. Lyrically, the tracks delve into themes of love, loneliness, and heartache, capturing a classic melancholic vibe. If you’re into the rough edges of rock, this pair would be right at home opening for any number of bands from the Crypt label from the ’90s. I’d love to hear them revved up to eleven, but they’re currently at about four.

Chelsea Radio Active Tapes LP

The UK.’s CHELSEA may be best known as the starting point for a young William Broad (a.k.a. BILLY IDOL, who quit with most of the band to form GENERATION X), and for being contemporaries with bands like the SEX PISTOLS, the DAMNED, and the BUZZCOCKS. But this collection of outtakes and demos from their 1977–1980 period captures the raw energy of a young scene channeled through music that sits somewhere between rock’n’roll and new wave. The playing is solid and frontman Gene October can really sing. By today’s standards, this music is more pop than abrasive, and it wouldn’t be difficult to find this band’s DNA mixed in with a lot of Lookout!-style pop punk from the ’90s. Versions of these songs are already in circulation, but this collection has been remastered and it sounds great. They might not be your next favorite band, but there are plenty of worthy tracks here for your next mixtape. Check out the song, “I’m on Fire.”

The Dark Sinking Into Madness LP

This L.A. four-piece, featuring members of bands like TOZCOS, STRANGERS, SADICOS, and PERSONAL DAMAGE, excels when they’re playing at full throttle. Their sound is like a collision of deathrock and thrashy ’80s metal, with the chugga-chugga guitar and even a handful of solos. Comparisons abound to bands like G.B.H. and Japanese punk/metal acts like G-ZET. The production quality is good, and a delay effect on the vocals adds an extra layer of menace to singer Irvin Kim’s wails and snarls. Everything on this album seems deliberate. It’s effective, but for me it gets a little monotonous after a few songs. For a taste of what they do best, check out the track “Nightmare.”

Fazed Humanization Now cassette

Collecting four previously released songs from these Belgian punks, the music on this cassette reminded me of metal-inflected hardcore from the ’80s with its crunchy guitar sound. The songs are fast-paced and engaging, with dynamic intros and tempo shifts that keep things interesting—none of the tracks exceed two minutes. Vocalist Kevin Hellbuyck alternates between singing and sing-talking, reminding me a bit of Shawn Knight from CHILD BITE. The band says, “FAZED as a band favors kindness over cruelty, tolerance over intolerance, altruism over egotism, cooperation over authority, communication over frustration,” and those all seem like worthwhile causes to champion. This is good shit. Check out “Go for Broke.”

Dead and Gone The Beautician LP reissue

This remastered reissue of the Bay Area quartet’s third and final album, originally released in 2002, balances mid-tempo hardcore with noise rock, covering 28 minutes across 13 tracks. The pacing shifts from quiet moments to explosive outbursts, all delivered with a quivering intensity powered by their tight rhythm section and Shane Baker’s gravelly vocals. As a precursor to contemporary bands like ILS and drawing well-earned comparisons to JESUS LIZARD and NEUROSIS, this album fucking rips. I’m bummed that I never got a chance to see them live. Highlights: “Smile” and “Rats the Size of Rats.”

Celebrity Handshake Earth Last LP

This newest recording from Portland, Maine’s prolific skronk-blues outfit CELEBRITY HANDSHAKE is definitely an acquired taste. Imagine BIRTHDAY PARTY stripped of any sense of songwriting or musical prowess, leaving only raw, chaotic energy. Layered on top are vocals that meander between stream-of-consciousness jazz poetry and the unfiltered oddity of WESLEY WILLIS. Most people are just going to hate this, but if you appreciate the truly weird, give them a shot. Highlights for me: these songs all blur together, so feel free to dive in anywhere.