Reviews

MRR #469 • June 2022

Antler Joe and the Accidents Go Commercial! EP reissue

This is killer. Minds much sharper than I dredged through the Florida muck to find the surviving sickos from this band to re-release their one and only attempt at stardom. It’s probably a Killed By Death favorite up there with EBENEZER AND THE BLUDGEONS or ED NASTY AND THE DOPEDS, which means small-town punkers playing ’70s punk a little late in the game. In this case, really late, as in 1981. I’m sure no one was listening when the masterwork known as “Bullshit” first made ears ring way back when. They most likely sat puzzled by lyrical mastery such as “I sit here this whole day / Trying to think of what to say, / No one listens anyway / It’s all dogshit” spewed forth at some weird party. “Words” ain’t no slouch either, but “Who Needs a Woman Like You” makes the blunder of including saxophone?! Ugh. Well you can’t win ’em all, but you can one day see your youthful mishaps displayed on public view in your golden years. Buy this and pray you’re next.

Atropello!! El Tiempo No Perdona EP

My first time hearing Peruvian hardcore, and it sounds good. It came to my attention that ATROPELLO!! is made up of some Peruvian veterans of the hardcore punk scene. Equal parts Scandinavian punk and Italian hardcore, these Peruvian aggressors play a raw and spastic brand of hardcore. There is always this underlying chaotic quality that seems to be the glue to what they do. Putting Peru on the punk map.

Bad Idea Sonic Hellride CD

Polished street punk from Minneapolis. Nothing to see here unless you’re looking for solid, gruff, catchy punk rock—like RADIOACTIVITY on a steady diet of the BUSINESS. Short, snappy, and to the point…just like this review.

Battlesex The Battlecall EP

Here is another new release on the prolific Convulse Records label—this one is from Portland’s BATTLESEX. This is a fist-pumping, tuneful hardcore punk affair with a healthy dose of hard rock/heavy metal influence (especially in the bitchin’ guitar licks sprinkled across the record). The early ’90s work of bands like ANTI CIMEX and fellow Portlanders POISON IDEA are pretty clear influences, however The Battlecall is not a mere rehash of such material, either. This 7″ righteous slab of rockin’ HC that is certainly worth your time—horns up brothers!

Big Clown Big Clown cassette

Excellent blast of high-speed screech-punk from this Memphis band, collecting two previously released tapes and a live set from Gonerfest. The band lays down fast and freaky riffs while vocalist Lucy sings in a pitch and style nestled somewhere between Poly Styrene and Carrie Brownstein. I thought there were dual vocalists until I heard the live tracks and read the liner notes, since many songs have them overdubbed an octave apart. It sounds awesome—immediate, frenetic, and intense. Not that the songs or band sound particularly angry. Take “Freaky,” a bubblegum pop tune enveloped in distortion and dirt that stands out as a little capsule of joy. Lucy sings “You don’t have to be nice to me / You don’t have to be nice to me / You don’t have to be nice to me / I know that you think I’m freaky” as a one-minute declaration of independence from the normies of the world. “Burger Salad” is another fun one that swirls with dissonant guitar lines, handclaps, and a sing-along chorus of “I wanna eat my burger salad.” Although frequently a joyous bounce, there are heavy moments of fast, churning punk like opener “Smell a Rat,” the raucous and atonal scream duet on “Hissy Fit,” and the chaotic blastbeat outro on “Big Girl.” The Gonerfest set sounds amazing, with the band jamming in absolute pro-mode. The only thing I don’t understand is the lack of audience sound. BIG CLOWN deserves a crowd into this as much as the band is. Recommended!

Bipolar The Source of Loneliness cassette

The rawest punk outfit to ever come out of Greenland. Another swift discharge of chaotic noise-mongering in the fashion of cult classic DISASTER. They take the blueprint left by DISCHARGE, the mindset of DISCLOSE, and they just rage. Four tracks that sound like an enormous door slamming in the depths of hell.

Brain Tourniquet Torture EP

The second EP from the Washington, DC band BRAIN TOURNIQUET is a bouquet of pain and fury. The band, formed by members of PURE DISGUST and TRUTH CULT, knows how to give their own twist to a genre (powerviolence/fastcore or whatever you want to call it) that we know has a limited creative spectrum. And they do it with songs whose foundation is anger, and from that base they build small monuments to bad vibes with a brutal musicianship and very imaginative arrangements. A very pleasant surprise.

Brutal Birthday Commotion 7″

Either the snobbiest of all punk record releases or an elaborate and well-executed joke on behalf of the band, this is a limited edition lathe-cut 7” of a single track recorded live at the Curtarock Festival in Italy, limited to just 25 copies pressed. Perhaps even funnier, this “piece of history” was not yet sold out at the time of this writing. Musically, it’s pretty cool. “Commotion” is a kind of nihilistic post-punk/no wave jam that reminds me a bit of Richmond’s stellar BLACK BUTTON. Get yours while supplies last.

Char-Man Shake Your Hips​ /​ Shitwrecked 7″

Where did this come from—somehow this sweaty outfit has been active just a few hours south of here for almost twenty years and I hear about them now?! To be fair, this is likely more a reflection on me than CHAR-MAN, but damn, do I have some catching up to do. “Shake Your Hips” is laid-back STOOGES monotony with undeniable modern swagger, while “Shitwrecked” is a demonstration of the beauty in pure simplicity. Garage punk rock’n’roll at its finest —what an absolutely stellar two-song banger!

Classe Suburbana Ao Vivo em 1992 10″

Consider this material as a historical archive. An exercise of subtracting vital, youthful energy from the unstoppable flow of time in order to preserve a spark of revolt and to mark a territory within the map of global punk and say “hey, here we are and this is where we were, we are part of this, too.” CLASSE SUBURBANA was a band that emerged in the late ’80s in the small town of Delmiro Gouveia in the Brazilian state of Alagoas, a deeply conservative and religious place, one of those stifling spaces for any restless youth who want something different from life. We are talking about an area far from the traditional epicenter of punk in Brazil. This compilation is based on fourteen tracks recorded live at Privê Club in 1992 and shows a band with an energy on the verge of exploding, with their sights set on the violent and repressive structures we all know: police, politicians, work, and family. This is a raw, unpolished, and harsh expression of punk rock. The sound quality is the best possible given the context I have mentioned, very DIY. The band reminds me a lot of Mexican punk bands coming from a similar social context and era: POLO PEPO, YAPS, or many urban rock bands from the Discos Denver label. Congratulations to Quilombo Discos, who are doing this great and necessary work of rescuing and promoting the punk youth culture of underrepresented areas of Brazil.

Crna Žuč Crna Žuč cassette

New project from Dragana, the bassist/vocalist of Serbia’s APSURD—the dark, anarcho-accented drive of ex-YU punk paragons TOŽIBABE is an obvious point of departure for both projects, with CRNA ŽUČ leaning harder into TOŽIBABE’s goth/post-punk underpinnings in contrast to APSURD’s stripped-down hardcore bash. The six tracks here are recorded with a raw, unpolished immediacy, cloaked in Cold War-era Eastern Bloc greyscale gloom and tapped-telephone paranoia, with vocals rising from shadowy narrations to desperate shouts, drums charging ahead of the beat toward an uncertain future, and sinister, descending minor chords that bring the record label’s WIPERS-referencing name full circle. All of the unease and high anxiety comes to a head on “Niko I Ništa,” where textured, moody guitar drone is staggered with insistent death-disco rhythmic breaks as Dragana’s icy reserve gradually cracks into a seething snarl. Proceed down CRNA ŽUČ’s ill-lit corridor and watch your back.

Dark Times No Hope / The Early EPs LP

Eleven years after their first release, Sheep Chase has remastered all three early EPs from the no wave/hardcore group DARK TIMES. The album doesn’t present the EPs chronologically: the order comes second, third, and first released. First, we hear the self-titled 7” (or Skull), coming in with my favorite track “Distrust” for its belabored and repetitive heavy rhythm (which I came to hear as their trademark sound). Sandwiched in the middle is the Girl Hate 7” that came out a year after the others, yet feels like it’s matured more than that. The songs are tighter, shorter, and catchier—check out “Waste.” Last up is their self-titled demo cassette where you can see the no wave and hardcore influences more separated between songs, as in the 40-second “Dead Meat” blaster, followed by the more ambient four-minute “Worlds Away.” If you, like me, missed this a decade ago, check it out now!

Days of Desolation Circles LP

Titan riffs coming through from Belgium’s DAYS OF DESOLATION. DAYS OF DESOLATION play hyper-blast grinding crust as a three-piece, with morose chords beneath the fury. Cacophonous synth subtleties are dispersed within the tracks and sound squeamishly off-putting with ominous dread. This is quite technical with all the grit of classic crust. Thinking NASUM, GADGET, SNIFTER, early INSISION, or more recently, SAYYADINA, D.E.R., P.L.F., or GRUELING SENTENCE. A fine mix of prog ambiance and pulverizing grindcore with nodes of death metal and crust. DAYS OF DESOLATION tether between exhausting blasts and well-composed passages that grab you by the throat. I admit I sort of lost touch with this style of crust-grind, but DAYS OF DESOLATION have my eyes bulging out with attention. With songs titles such as “King of Pikes,” “Autumn,” “Your Prerogative,” and “Hypersleep,” I feel like I will grow to give this one a much deeper connective listen over the coming months. A definite for manic grind blasters that like their crust extra heavy and their death extra fast. I also have learned DAYS OF DESOLATION are on the CAPITALIST CASUALTIES tribute album, so that rules. Circles is their first LP after an EP, and it slays.

Death Bag Death Bag LP

I think music benefits from a sense of fun, especially when it’s otherwise dark or morbid. Maybe DEATH BAG agrees? Their kinda deathrock, kinda psychobilly style benefits from danceability and larger-than-life vocals. Generally, the record is a goth-y bag of lower register tunes at a steady but driving pace and with a little mangled, weird guitar sprinkled throughout. Pair with your favorite monster flick or thunderstorm.

Depress Discography cassette

I couldn’t find much information on this band, either in English or Spanish. I know they’re a ’90s band from Malaysia and this is their entire output remastered for our enjoyment, all released originally by Broken Noise Records. The first half is songs from a split with Indonesia’s ANTIPATHY, and the second half were part of the Johor Hardcore comp. The twelve tracks are a blast, unhinged and blistering hardcore with some cool melodic and street-punk-like vocal hooks. Great song arrangements, furious vocals when needed, and a clear socio-political stance against authoritarianism and war. Would love to hear more from DEPRESS, hope there’s some more tracks in some vaults out there.

Des Demonas Cure for Love 12″

In the Red brings us the latest from DC’s DES DEMONAS, a seven-song 12” of organ-driven garage rock that combines the musicianship and soulfulness of the REIGNING SOUND with the attitude of some of the rougher-hewn bands that popped up in the wake of the BLACK LIPS’ popularity—in particular, the record reminded me a lot of the Aussie band STRAIGHT ARROWS. Except, none of those bands are fronted by Jacky Cougar Abok, whose unique vocal delivery—a mix of barely tuneful yawping and rhythmic, non-rhyming rapping—is literally beyond compare. His voice also serves as a great foil to the backup vocalist, whose harmonies end up giving the songs like “Cure for Love” an almost alien quality.  While there’s maybe nothing on here as relevetory as “The South Will Never Rise Again,” there are also no duds—it’s a cool record.

Desborde Todo Es Una Mierda cassette

Fast Argentine punk with synth parts. I don’t want to call it synth punk, as the electronic parts seem to be very appendaged-on for this recording. You hear them in the beginning or the end of a song, but the guitar generally drowns it out once it roars in. Aside from that, this is a tape full of rippers.

Disattack A Bomb Drops… 12″

I confess, I knew about CARCASS, but I didn’t know about DISATTACK, the band that came before. This is a re-release of their 1986 demo, which Walter Glaser reviewed in MRR #39, plus a couple rehearsal tracks. It couldn’t be more different from more recent CARCASS albums, but the transition from this to Reek of Putrefaction is seamless. This tape contains some great, crusty DISCHARGE-type punk. With the headbanging riffage, glimpses are visible of the metal legends they would become. ”Opression and Death” stood out as more of a hardcore banger, but all six tracks are worth a listen.

Gentlemen Rogues Francy / I’ve Got a Match 7″

The latest single from GENTLEMEN ROGUES picks right back up from where their last 7” left off. Great, catchy, sugary sweet power pop that wouldn’t be out of place next to your SUPERDRAG and BOB MOULD/SUGAR records. Highly recommended to anyone who digs the aforementioned bands, or cruising with the windows down on a late spring day. Fingers crossed that there’s a full-length in the works.

Giglinger 13 cassette

A long-running Finnish outfit that has remained primarily under the radar, GIGLINGER seems content to keep plugging away at bare-bones punk rock with a distinct dark Euro vibe. Classic Finnish punk (not hardcore, punk) with touches of M.O.T.O. and EA80 makes for a compelling lo-fi listening experience. I didn’t know much of the band before this tape came across my desk, but I’m about to get hooked into a modest discography that spans more than two decades.

Glycerol Standing Over You cassette

This two-song cassette from Wichita brings us a two-minute and twenty-one second burst of claustrophobic hardcore pounding. The first track bites the genre it feeds with complaints about how so much hardcore sounds the same, and on the second one, I’m not sure what they’re talking about, but they sound pretty pissed there, too.

Heavy Comforter 5 Joey and the Rapid Dogs! LP

Like the Fernando Pessoa of bedroom fuzz-pop, William Johnson (FUTURE VIRGINS, BIG KITTY, and more) has created a full band of alter egos to bring us Joey and the Rapid Dogs! Like the aforementioned Portuguese poet, who wrote under 30-plus “personas” all with full backstories and signature styles around the turn of the previous century, Johnson credits a full roster of musicians who simply don’t exist. It’s an interesting exercise that lends itself to the character exploration of Joey, the core of this shambolic “rock opera.” The songs have a grandiosity to them, in bold declarative jams like “Talkin’ Bout Mental Health,” that is tempered by the use of a drum machine throughout. It’s reminiscent of TOM GRRRL, JACK NAME, or even a much less silly GENE DEFCON. The songs are homemade but tightly constructed and delivered with a sort of detached vocal style. The whole affair is clearly a labor of love, but is performed with a couldn’t-care-less attitude, lending another layer of strangeness. The results aren’t always compelling, which feels somewhat inevitable stretched across sixteen tracks, but there is plenty here to stick around for. Looking forward to Johnson getting the “band” back together for more.

I Am the Fly Pattern/Function 12″

I AM THE FLY is a synth punk duo out of Essen, Germany. The players here identify as “Musca domestica ♂” and “Musca domestica ♀,” so that should give you a pretty good idea of what we’re dealing with. The music is pretty by-the-book for this kind of stuff—skittery drum machine beats, post-punky bass lines, and kitschy sci-fi synths. The vocal delivery falls somewhere between a sing-songy chat and like a dry physics lecture. It’s clearly a choice—one that might even work were the lyrics less awkward! Instead we’re getting clunkers like “The least enjoyable part of my existence / Is your existence.” I’m sure I would have been kinder to the record had the lyrics been in German, but I still don’t think there’s enough going on here to say that I would have enjoyed these songs—an assessment I feel pretty shitty about making seeing as how I only speak one language and cannot, for the life of me, write music. So, if you’re less likely to be annoyed by lyrics and just love downer-y robotic synth punk, give this a go.

Irmans Hermano / I Wanna See You 7″

Wearing the SPITS’ influence on your sleeve is a curse, especially when you’re cranking out squeaky clean, lightly keyboarded songs like these. When the drums build up on the lead song and the keys underline the bass in true SPITS fashion, the head bobs almost as muscle memory. But these tracks, no matter the leather jacket look on the cover, have none of the meat-in-teeth maniacal energy that the band is promising. The B-side “I Wanna See You” is more satisfying, and seems truer to the band’s actual mission. It’s a jangly, melancholic sad pop song with nimble fretwork and a good hook. Stick to ’80s revival guitar pop, IRMANS, it suits you.

Joyride! Miracle Question LP

Bubblegum pop punk, as if it were blaring from the open window of a car that’s clearly having more fun than you. A decade going, this is JOYRIDE!’s fourth LP, jam-packed with syrupy and finely-tuned female vocals, aided by fast instrumentation; guitar riffs and tom-drum bridges in all the right places. But here’s the deal: it’s 2022 and pop punk isn’t all sheen and passive content—it’s fun and provocative all at once, and that’s why I like it. “In the Afterglow” gets in your head with “We get attached to what we think we know,” while “Flyover States” brings environmental disasters to light, and then “Routine Maintenance” spells out “k-i-s-s-i-n-g” in the chorus, like you’d expect from the genre. Just listen and try to have fun while not being ignorant—and if you figure out how to do that, let me know.

Kirkby Kiss Ouroboros CD

The sounds on Ouroboros rotate between staccato, rapid-fire guitar and more trad HC/punk rhythms. There are quieter, prettier build-ups which provide an almost screamo tinge. The band packs a lot into each song but keeps things short. That’s a good choice, because even when they’re boundary-pushing, most punk songs petter out after the two-minute mark.

La Fraction De L’Autre Côté LP

The last LA FRACTION album came out in 2007. I drove the band on a North American tour that summer and I saw them play a few dozen times, so I should have known what to expect when I dropped the needle on De L’Autre Cote fifteen years later in 2022, but I was not prepared. Not at all. When Magali’s vocals opened “Tout Va Bien,” I fucking cried. It wasn’t something I could control, and I didn’t try. There is a magic here, and it’s not something I can describe, but the band sounds (appropriately) older, wiser, and more angry than they ever have before. Their fourth full-length is arguably their best—Magali sounds like she is doing battle with DeDe’s guitar while Boris’s drums push everything forward. It’s a perfect band, really…it always has been. And while I knew that before I started listening to this record, I was still, somehow, not at all prepared. Bands (particularly punk bands) are simply not supposed to get better with age, but LA FRACTION have defined themselves with this album, and I feel like I don’t want to listen to anything else. Ever.

LASSIE Temporary Cemetery / Frowning Term 7″

Leipzig’s LASSIE has been putting out new wave-inflected choppy garage punk for a handful of years now. The typical comparisons to DEVO and REATARDS apply here. “Temporary Cemetery” is massively endearing, buzzy and infectious and possessing a delicious synth hook. The B-side “Frowning Term” isn’t as immediately irresistible, but it’s still a solid slab of oddball synth punk. I don’t want to imagine the kind of person who doesn’t like this—they’re probably a jerk!

Last Point A Broken Road CD

I’m fairly positive I reviewed the last album from this band, and well…they haven’t strayed at all from the sound of their last offering, proving that if you find something that you’re proficient at, why change anything? They nail the early Fat Wreck sound almost to a fault. Again though, this isn’t really my cup of tea and that’s cool. To me, this style just kinda sounds dated, but that’s not to say that there aren’t fans of this stuff who would eat this up, it’s just not me.

Les Calamités Encore! 1983–1987 LP

LES CALAMITÉS are too often reduced to having been “the French GO-GO’S”—three teenage girls with guitars (plus a boy drummer) who rejected the plastic excess of mid-’80s new wave in favor of sugary (power) pop and ’60s girl group-styled harmonies. But the GO-GO’S started out as bona fide L.A. punks, even if those roots were obscured in their sound, while LES CALAMITÉS might as well have emerged from an almost entirely pre-punk world of early twist-and-shout rock’n’roll, sock hop shimmies, and mod garage beat; “the French DELMONAS” would probably be more accurate. Encore! gathers all sixteen tracks from their modest discography (an LP, a couple of singles, and a comp cut), plus a song each from French rockers DOGS and English garage outfit the BARRACUDAS featuring LES CALAMITÉS backing vocals; it’s a tidy primer on these filles dans le garage, even if it doesn’t add anything new to the story. Those GO-GO’S comparisons come most clearly into focus on “Le Supermarché,” “Pas la Peine,” and “Toutes Les Nuits,” all of which nail that ebullient Beauty and the Beat bounce, and just as the DELMONAS did, there’s a handful of CALAMITÉS-ized takes on choice ’60s cuts, further paying tribute to some of their obvious inspirations—the WHO’s “The Kids Are Alright” sped up as an ecstatic jangler, the AD-LIBS’ doo wop classic “The Boy From New York City” translated into French and given a yé-yé spin, a gender-swapped version of the TROGGS’ bubblegum garage nugget “With a Girl Like You.” C’est un délice.

Mentalidad Ausente Guerra Permanente en la Cabeza cassette

Punk music doesn’t need to be refined at all, sometimes we just need heavy riffs, hellish screaming, and banging drums. MENTALIDAD AUSENTE is a trio from Costa Rica, more precisely, San Jose, and they are primitive as hell. Almost like a punker version of BONE AWL, if that makes sense. Recorded live in 2021, this EP is a great debut for these blackened punks to lean on. Knuckle-dragging Neanderthal music, and I mean that in a good way!

Mindcollapse Estado de Sitio EP

Absolutely crushing grindcore out of Madrid, Spain. There’s twelve songs on this 7” EP, most being under a minute in length. Even if my Spanish was better, the vocals are incomprehensible growls, but holy frijoles, the music doesn’t stop punching you in the face. “24H Control + Explotación Asimilada” (“Assimilated Exploitation”) sticks out for its three-minute length, but also because it plays with tempos in interesting ways, dipping down into doomy sludge and then ramping back up to crusty hardcore speeds. The aptly named “Punker than Grind” closes the EP with a fun, strange, mid-tempo stomper. Cool piece of work.

Nafra Seny i Rauxa LP

NAFRA, the Catalonian powerhouse, is back after their excellent self-titled album released last year. Nine songs of fast-paced, high-energy and uplifting hardcore punk that will put a smile on your broken mug and make you take on the streets. Also, you can’t go wrong with  VARUKERS and R.I.P. covers.

Nexø False Flag LP

Copenhagen’s NEXØ plays an obnoxious arrangement of post-punk skate rock with interludes of twisted cold/no wave, similar to if DEPECHE MODE collaborated with PROPAGANDHI and added even more thrash elements. The trudging riffs of SKITKIDZ and the optimistic speed of NO HOPE FOR THE KIDS. Overall, this is quite unique, and I give it great acclaim for that. Super well-produced and masterfully played punk rock. The minimal vocals are excellent—when they are on, they are intense. NEXØ makes a racket that is perfect to zone out in for measures longer than usually edited for this style of music. So NEXØ brings forth the unexpected and they do it well. There is a lunacy to their music, but it is very precisely rehearsed. I don’t know where to categorize this outside of art-core proto-punk. There are some elements of industrial and carnival madness. The LP listen only gets faster, like a ride you can’t get off, interspersed with melodic soundscapes throughout. Sheer escapist punk with a lot of heart.

Nightfeeder Exploited Partisans EP

Just yesterday, I messaged my pal Grant while I was listening to DEATHRAID to let him know how underrated I thought the band was, and he replied, ”you should hear their new band NIGHTFEEDER.” Well, I’m hearing them now—a band made up of four motherfuckers who were in DEATHRAID (and CONSUME and countless other Seattle/PNW bands) and seem determined to deliver whirlwind hardcore punk rock at any cost, and Grant wasn’t wrong to suggest adding NIGHTFEEDER to my “must listen” catalog. Dirty-ass rock’n’roll influence is shameless, modern hardcore punk of the highest caliber. Moral? Always listen to your pal Grant.

No Future Death flexi EP

Serving up agile D-beats from Australia, slathered in olde English fonts and Xeroxed skulls and stencils as god intended, NO FUTURE leaves you longing for more after imbibing in this slick three-song flexi. The seething buzz of the title track alone is enough to get the thumbs up from me.

Noose Sweat Death Denial flexi EP

Highly effective powerviolence from this Vancouver, Canada band. Raw, ferociously fast, incredibly well-executed, greasy, precise, murky and severe. Seven songs that last as long as it takes you to read this review. Huge cover art by the great and subversive artist Tommy Wilson. Stunning.

Protospasm Unreachable Summit LP

These Aussies have given unto the world an album that is equal parts well-written hardcore punk and slick-as-hell rock’n’roll riffage. Somewhat reminds me of L.A.’s SWEAT a bit, but with RIVERBOAT GAMBLERS/TURBONEGRO-ish riffs.

Public Body Flavour of Labour 12″

Tight, energetic, and nervy art-punk out of Brighton. There’s a lot here to like, at least for me—angular guitar lines, whirling new wave synths, an English man spitting lyrics about the alienation of labo(u)r under capitalism. The production (provided by guitarist Theo Verney, who has also recorded the likes of FEET and HOME COUNTIES) is clear and full and serves the material well. Every track on this EP is compelling, but the single “Formica” is a real ripper, chaotic yet expertly held together. “Reset My Password” is another treat, with big hooks and relatable lyrics about having a useless desk job. “Savings, Discounts, and More!” is more of an experimental spoken word piece, which makes me curious as to what else the band can accomplish with a little more breathing room. If you’re into other contemporary UK post-punk acts like SQUID and ROXY GIRLS, you should dig this.

Public Opinion Demo 2021 flexi EP

If no one told me that this band was new, I would have believed that it was recorded in the late ’80s. Short, fast, and vicious, PUBLIC OPINION delivers an ass-whooping on this four-song demo. It sounds like you are at a basement show right in front of the action, as the sound on this demo is super raw. One for the hardcore lovers that lean more to the rawer, grittier side of things.

Resin Pot Overdose cassette

I love hardcore punk, but this didn’t work for me at first. Musically, the hardcore is tight and hard, just like it should be. But the heavily distorted black metal vocals grated on the nerves. It did grow on me with subsequent listens because, overall, this cassette rages. “Sea of Vomit” is the best of the four tracks, with “Life is Shit” being a close second. I prefer cleaner vocals, but there’s lots to like on this cassette like great musicianship, particularly the guitar, which goes from being a wall of distortion to wailing solo and back perfectly. They reminded me a bit of FILTH, though Jake’s voice was just like that without distortion.

Robits Here Come the Robits cassette

Ten tracks of garage-y pop punk out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. ROBITS’ delivery is catchy, light-hearted, and fun. Any of these tracks would have felt at home on Lookout! Records’ classic Can of Pork comp. “Hello Old Friends” reminds me of DESCENDENTS’ “Ride the Wild.” It’s refreshing, sing-along, summertime goodness. Exceptions are the final three tracks: “Aquamarine Eyes” has a harder punk edge, and “Robit Bop” has a sound like a kinder, gentler MEATMEN à la “Meatmen Stomp.” “Lampreys” closes out the tape with something to slam dance to.

Romero Turn It On! LP

From Australia, this female-fronted band delivers eleven tracks of solid, traditional power pop with an occasional nod to new wave. At times, I’m reminded of both the EPOXIES and the PLASTIC TONES. It’s super catchy and uptempo for the most part, but they can slow it down at times. Some of the slower cuts have a certain moodiness to them. They’re super tight and the production is crisp without sounding over-produced. That can be a fine line. Really nicely done.

Rude Television Distractions cassette

I miss my Tascam. There is something totally different about how you approach recording music with limitations, whereas if you start using a DAW, you can get lost in the options. This tape exemplifies what you can do with a point of view, the ability to play multiple instruments, and capable yet not limitless technology. The results are laser-focused bedroom punk with a synth-y undercurrent. It would be easy to compare this to R.M.F.C. and it has its similarities, but this project has its own voice that is snotty and fun in all the right ways. It has its debt owed to the DEAD MILKMEN as well, at least vocally, but what is impressive is how varied the sound is from cut to cut. This isn’t some homogeneous same-y six tracks of “been there, done that” bedroom punk. The songwriting is solid, the rhythm tight and right on, and there’s just the right amount of fuzz and echo to sell you on the authenticity of it all. Spaced-out rockers like “Operate” strike on a reptilian level, you simply have to bob your head. Cleaner tone forays into post-punk rhythms, such as on closer “Transformer No. 1,” are just as satisfying, proving the project has legs to walk wherever it wants to next.

AJ Cortes and the Burglars / Rude Television split cassette

How can you not root for this kid AJ CORTES, who at twelve years old started cranking out bops with the confidence some of us in our thirties are still chasing (not a projection, I swear…). The fact that he plays all the instruments himself, records himself, designs all the tapes, runs a label and is basically a one-person punk factory all before his teen years, it’s nothing short of amazing. And it’s not novelty, like you see this tape and go “oh, this is the kid who makes garage punk.” This is the real deal. “Never Ever” thrashes, it’s tight and ferocious with a massive bass line and convincingly pissed-off vocals. “Teenage Bozo” likewise hits the mark dead on. You’d have to be a jerk to write this off, and my only hope is he doesn’t burn out on it all. Can’t wait to see where he goes from here. On the flipside, we have another Florida solo punk band, on the brainier side of things with a tip of the cap to Australian compatriots in wiry rock‘n’roll. Overall, this tape is exciting and a whole hell of a lot of fun.

Rudix Demos cassette

Dial Club, a new cassette label out of Japan, brings us this Buenos Aires duo’s first two demos combined into a single release. RUDIX plays bratty, frantic garage punk in the vein of LOLI AND THE CHONES, and the eight tracks on this cassette are loud, fast, tinny as hell, and over nearly as soon as they start—just as god (or at least Greg Lowery) intended! Real good shit!

S.M.I.L.E. S.M.I.L.E. Some More cassette

Second slammer from Cleveland’s Delayed Gratification to pass through my ears this month, and like the opening track pleads: “I just need more.” Three doses of ripping USHC from Akron’s S.M.I.L.E.—nothing fancy but very special indeed. A logical extension of the BIB, S.H.I.T., HOAX-style hardcore that (justifiably) dominated the mid-’10s, there’s just a touch of groove here and fukk, it just slams so damn hard. More indeed, please.

Scoundrels Oh No! Not Again! LP

Holland’s SCOUNDRELS return after 31 years absent with a not too inventively titled album. I had to do some research, being not so knowledgeable about their back catalog. They started around 1986 doing a sort of anarcho post-punk thing. While this keeps some of that element in songs like “Outsider,” much of this veers towards a later-period SoCal punk sound. It’s sort of like those mediocre SOCIAL DISTORTION or ADOLESCENTS (ADZ) songs. They do one of those bad funk-inspired politico song attempts on “Molasses” that’s really unfortunate. They keep it real on Bandcamp, loading a bonus CRASS cover/remix piece of awfulness as a bonus track at the end. Why? Well, maybe to keep you ready for another round in 2053. Punk is dead?

Screensaver Clean Current / Repeats 7″

This single is the second release from Melbourne’s SCREENSAVER, following up from 2021’s full-length Expressions of Interest. “Clean Current” is a sweeping synth-pop number, with the kind of propulsive bassline and swirling, atmospheric synths that were a hallmark of early ’80s post-punk. “Repeats” is a slower, moodier piece that doesn’t do quite as good of a job at holding my interest, though vocalist Krystal Maynard has a rich, mournful singing voice that compliments the music well. SCREENSAVER is quite obviously influenced by the likes of the CURE, the SOUND, and SIOUXSIE, but you’ll never catch me complaining about that (especially if the songs are as appealing as “Clean Current” is here).

Seems Twice Non-Plussed 12″ reissue

Boy howdy is the reissue industrial complex ever fucking exhausting, but even a stopped clock is right twice a day. Sydney, Australia’s SEEMS TWICE crammed twelve blasts of completely devolved art-punk (the longest of which maxed out at 43 seconds) onto a one-and-done 1980 EP, blitzing through each track with an economical severity befitting Pink Flag-era WIRE, if Pink Flag had been generously splattered with the collapsing primitivism of the URINALS. The original Non-Plussed 7” fetches around half a grand on the current market (that’s about $100 per minute of total runtime) and the prospects of a reissue seemed exceedingly remote as time marched on, until this 12” version appeared out of nowhere last month, an unanticipated answer to years of prayer-like thoughts. Antipodean no wave rhythms scatter in all directions on half-minute burners “Real Arafat” and “Look At It,” like cockroaches after a lightswitch flip—rumbling, almost MINUTEMEN-ish bass grooves collide into flailing spin-cycle drums and frantic guitar scratch, with shouted lyrics spilling out in breathless rushes approximating a cracked verse/chorus structure in the barest minimum of lines (and seconds). Totally fast and fucked-up enough to win points with the hardcore crowd allergic to all things “art,” but these are some legit freak sounds. Utterly unassailable OZ DIY brilliance!

SFA The 87–88 Tapes LP

SFA (STANDS FOR ANYTHING) formed in 1984, joining the burgeoning NYHC scene to play alongside other early bands of the genre like TOKEN ENTRY and SHEER TERROR. During the twelve-plus years they stuck around, they’d share stages with the likes of AGNOSTIC FRONT and frequently play at the top clubs like CBGBs—this LP collects two sessions previously only released on cassette in 1987 and 1988, as well as some bonus live material. To differentiate themselves from the popular “posi-core” movement of their era, the band coined the term “hatecore” to describe their music. They definitely hated stuff, notably ska and Kurt Cobain (as expressed on songs from their ’90s LPs), but before that, they were pounding out tunes with a recognizable 7 SECONDS and MINOR THREAT influence that can be heard on the on the 1988 Tanks a Lot tape that occupies the A-side of this record. The 1987 demo on the B-side is a bit thrashier and gnarlier in nature, even when they cover BOBBY DARIN’s 1959 hit “Dream Lover.” This collection comes with a cool booklet with lyrics, interviews, and side-by-side pics of the band members then and now, and your NYHC collection is not quite complete without it.

Smear Campaign Smear Campaign demo cassette

Denver, Colorado is killing it with hardcore at the moment, and SMEAR CAMPAIGN is no exception. This is some gnarly, vicious, fast solo hardcore with super blasted, blown-out “production.” Asa, the person behind SMEAR CAMPAIGN, is clearly a big fan of URBAN BLIGHT, ‘cus this sounds a lot like they did. If you’re into URBAN BLIGHT and the ferocious Boston HC sound and such, this scorcher will be right up your alley. And clocking in at a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it running time of just over three minutes, you’ll be sticking this rager on repeat over and over. You know what they say; the best music only leaves you wanting more.

Society All Flies Go to Hell cassette

Maybe it’s just my own personal obsession, but I sensed VELVET UNDERGROUND worship in this and I’m not mad about it. I’m sure there’s other earmarked influences in this, but my ear is catching Matrix Tapes-era but with Bob Quine’s tape recorder, except it was recorded in a living room in 2022 and the four-track is broken (at their own admission). It’s audible especially in the final track as you hear it reel its last, but the crackle of analog death adds a certain charm of imperfection to the whole thing. It’s an additional layer to the double-time guitar, thumpy dead string bass, and drums that sound like those kid’s kits with the paper heads. Each song is maxed out at 1:30, so you’ll be in and out with it in less than ten minutes. It’s econo, it’s budget; they call it “dunce,” but it’s certainly not dim. “Piss Grave” and its bouncy bassline is a standout from the bunch.

Solucion Mortal Live at the Fairmont 1984 LP

Such a thrill to write some words on this absolute classic of Mexican hardcore. First, a little bit of history. SOLUCION MORTAL is one of the pioneering bands of hardcore in Mexico. They formed in 1981 in the border city of Tijuana and are still active today. This historical document is a live board recording made at a show at the Fairmont Hall in San Diego, and was originally released as a tape in 1984. Unlike bands from Mexico City, SOLUCIÓN MORTAL had a geographical advantage: being on the border with California allowed the band to share stages with DEAD KENNEDYS or D.R.I. That is to say, they were able to play in the United States in their absolute prime. This led them to participate in some compilations on labels such as BCT Tapes from San Diego, ROIR from New York, and New Wave Records from France. And what does it sound like? Urban chaos, urgency, anger, and violence. A raw guitar sound,  pogo-inducing drum and bass work, absolute brutal vocals, and some of the best Mexican punk songs ever:  “Depresión,” “Maten a los Chotas,” or “Solución Mortal.” A must-have.

Sour Songz cassette

Disorienting guitar opens the tape, then the rest of the band drops like a bomb to start “Sum Body” and I’m at attention. Mid-paced, deliberately erratic hardcore, with a damage that can only come from millennial-era punks. Dark and serious, down and dirty, Ohio’s SOUR hits like a fukkn wrecking ball and while you’re turning up the volume, they’re turning up the intensity. Howling vocals, entire songs built on indescribable breakdowns—while this is in the speakers, for those nine powerful minutes, I don’t want to hear anything else in the fucking world.

Straw Man Army SOS LP

This is the second album by these members of the D4MT Labs family tree, and STRAW MAN ARMY’s branch has grown in considerable length and fruit since their 2020 LP. This is one of the first albums I’ve heard or reviewed recently that feels truly “post-pandemic.” Not in the sense of it being over (an obviously foolish way to think), but more so that it feels of its time, as a reflection and distillation of the feelings and varied collective traumas experienced since March 2020. The anxiety, isolation, unrest, grief, depression, and the front row center seat we’ve had for late capitalism’s corrosive and violent nature on local, national, and international levels. The songs on the record are surgically performed and spartanly recorded—there is nary a wild or unhinged moment, everything is carefully considered. The guitar, bass, drums, and vocals together sound like a tightly executed line drawing. Where the depth, dimension, and color of the album is revealed is in its details, especially the ambient moments that lead you between sides: the meditative synth washes, vibraphone sounds, and bird songs. They give a moment of breath and clarity, a palate cleanser between the grim realism of the songs. These moments and the pacing of the album creates an emotional build-up that follows anger, grief, despondency, and trying to stay empathetic and aware in a world that wants you to become callous and shut off. The songs embrace a mounting tension from the Escher staircase riffs of “Human Kind,” and the accelerating, decelerating train track rhythms of “State of the Art,” a criticism of modern progress and the myth of endless growth, sounding like a stock market bar graph as it rises and eventually falls. “Millenarian Man” is a brilliant merging of the the band and the musique concrète elements into a a truly NY state of mind, the vertigo of skyscrapers, the claustrophobia of crowds, the terror of police sirens. Then once all the confusion and anger of the world in the song becomes too much, they conclude the album with “Beware,” which begins melodic and vulnerable, but ends bitter and seething. STRAW MAN ARMY has created explicitly political music that isn’t phoned-in anti-everything anthems or simplistic catalogs of atrocities, but is a hard, analytical but deeply thoughtful and meditative look at this torrential time frame. SOS is an album that is about staring the nightmare in the mouth and realizing that we can’t just wake up from it or simply go back to sleep.

The Condos The Condos cassette

High-energy synthwave/post-punk coming from Adelaide, Australia. This debut EP was recorded live in 2019, and on the first few listens I wrote it off as another modern try at a darkwave revival, but maybe there’s more at stake here. I think they nailed the sparsity of instrumentation; ranging from synth intros, to bass and drum lead verses, to wall-of-sound choruses where the reverb-bleeding guitar riffs hang behind snarling Aussie vocals. It reminds me of the DAMNED’s goth rock years, only set to a dance beat. Check out “Suffice” for a good sample.

The Courettes Misfits & Freaks / Killer Eyes 7″

Everything from the album layout, to the way they dress, to the music itself, feels like this came out of Detroit sixty years ago—but don’t be fooled, this duo is out of Denmark and giving us this fantastic pop-rock right now! This 7”, released four months ago, is already sold out! What’s happening? 1960s garage/girl group influence has really been showing up lately, like with the EXBATS, who I just reviewed, for example, but the COURETTES take the influence to the next level while modernizing the lyrics. If “Misfits & Freaks” doesn’t get used at the climax of the next feel-good indie apocalypse film, then it’ll be a major missed opportunity. The aforementioned A-side starts off with tambourine claps, a clever acoustic guitar riff, and a lamented version of the chorus vocals before the drop of distortion, a full drum kit, and a faster tempo. It’s irresistibly catchy with backing “ooh”s and “ahh”s under the line “Cheer up, you misfits and freaks.” This song came from their 2021 Back In Mono LP, but they’ve reworked it a little here to give an even more devil-may-care attitude that came from the uncertainty of the pandemic lockdowns. The B-side, a brand new track, starts up with the same riff and “Cheer up, cheer up” backing line from the previous song, only to switch gears to surfy guitar strums that lead to “The way he looks / And all his charms / I could die in his arms,” with all the trappings of ’60s girl groups, and they certainly pull it off. Please, have a listen.

The Ergs! Renovations EP

With recurring themes of heartbreak, missed opportunities, and broken and lost lives, country music and punk can share some similarities. Here the ERGS! are back together to put out three tracks that you could call country-inspired, but it’s all ERGS! at heart. The opener “Tonight’s the Night” is an OLD 97’S-style romp. The title track, “Renovations” has some of Jeff Schroeck’s best lyrical work to date, while “Penny in the Jukebox” is a great boozy closer. The EP manages to stretch out some musically while still maintaining that ERGS! earnest and honest punk sound.

The Exbats Now Where Were We LP

Fourth LP from father/daughter team Kenny and Inez McClain, the EXBATS take flight from the deserts of southern Arizona. At first glance, I hear the song writing sensibilities of ’60s girl groups (the BANGLES, with drummer/vocalist Debbi Peterson, to boot) on songs like “Best Kiss,” but with heavier influences from the punk genre, and similar to early ’00s the LIKE in this convergence. But EXBATS don’t pigeonhole themselves. Themes of country twang appear in “Practice On Me,” and “Hey New Zealand” describes eco-disasters, atypical of jangly garage pop.

The Faction Collection 1982–1985 2xLP

San Jo’s pioneers of the skate rock thing give you a nice remaster of their complete ’80s recordings collection. Featuring skateboard pin-up legend Steve Caballero, you get the high-fiving bro factor in full effect on songs like “Tongue Like a Battering Ram” and “Skate and Destroy,” which aren’t so bad musically. You also get early gems like “Room 101” and “Yesterday is Gone,” so there’s some merit to this collection. Still, it’s hard for me to get through this in one sitting. I’d much rather hear the likes of LOS OLVIDADOS, DRUNK INJUNS, or even FREE BEER when partaking in the sweaty ballsack rock of yore but still, it’s a nice history lesson to the youthful shredders of the future. Dude.

The Fall A Part of America Therein, 1981 LP reissue

Oh, to be a fly on the wall as the FALL caromed about the US during the summer of 1981, plying their sui generis mixture of rock n’ roil repetition, surrealist non-sequiturs, and dagger-like bon mots—all while leaving a trail of empty beer cans and crumpled bags of speed in their wake. By this point, the band was functioning (at least on stage) as one unit, lashed together with the rhythmic clatter that they were bashing out like a pack of hungry wolves. Most of this set, patched together from recordings taped at an array of US cities, is a study in how the FALL subverted the dirge form and reshaped it into something approaching rock n’ roll. In this spirit, “The N.W.R.A.” opens things up, reveling in a monolithic patience while also utilizing, naturally, a kazoo. The run-through of “Totally Wired” doesn’t quite live up to its title, but it does feature some choice Mark E. Smith ad-libs mocking punks and quoting Hunter S. Thompson. Recorded in Houston, “An Older Lover” has a nice, down-the-hallway feel, emphasizing its petulant response to emotional devastation. Few songs embody wandering around barren streets in a broken-hearted daze like this sublime number. Ultimately, the Live at St. Helens Technical College, 1981 LP that came out last year is superior to this set, but, really, you can’t go wrong with the band in question. There’s always another hole to fall into…

The Flex Chewing Gum for the Ears LP

Well good goddamn, would you look at that. Seven years after the release of their last record, Leeds’ own superstars the FLEX are back with a brand new album. As they say; if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, and the Burley Boys understand this mantra all too well. The sound on Chewing Gum For the Ears is nothing short of classic FLEX—fast, old school Boston-style hardcore with plenty of mosh parts included (of course). This new LP includes some of their most blistering compositions yet, including “War Boy,” “Voight-Kampff,” and the mind-blowing closing title track (my favourite song on the album). It’s been a while, but the lads still have it down to a T. This has been possibly my most anticipated release of the past four years and it truly delivered on all fronts, and, at the end of the day, was well worth the wait. The New Wave of British Hardcore may be dead, but the FLEX lives on—ten years strong and hopefully many more to come. Cannot recommend this slab enough.

The Real Distractions Stupid EP

“The REAL DISTRACTIONS love rock’n’roll,” and from this Olympia quartet’s prestigious pedigree and the songs on this quarantine EP, I believe that love has got to be real. The guitar rings out with power pop build-ups and a tingle of bubblegum glam raunch on the edges. The electric piano has that reedy Wurlitzer garage rock rattle, a texture I just absolutely adore. On all four songs, the dual vocals meet up in the middle like a secret handshake but also have their own moments at the mic. The bass and drums keep it punchy and tight, shifting into the sometimes snakey time changes but exploding with big dynamic fills, all while still staying in the driver’s seat, keeping the van going all night. While the band has studied their well-flipped 45s and the songs are classically catchy, they’re still lyrically modern, with connections to the real world in real time and not just rock’n’roll revivalist tropes. The REAL DISTRACTIONS have such high-quality ingredients as a band, and the combination of them compliments each other perfectly—like tomatoes, mozzarella, olive oil, and basil come together on a warming slice of Old School pizza. And like a good slice, it leaves me wanting more, so here’s hoping for a West Coast tour, or else I’ll have to make my way to Olympia and catch them on their home turf.

The War Goes On Discount Hope EP

Latest record by Copenhagen’s THE WAR GOES ON, a band consisting of ex-members of the acclaimed NO HOPE FOR THE KIDS. Discount Hope is bleak, dark punk that sounds like it was written by the kids of the black hole. Yet the band isn’t from the suburbs of Orange County, but a Scandinavian city that either gets no sun during the day or the sun doesn’t go down at night. Despite the songs consisting of darkness and bleakness, it still has this catchy pop sensibility (something difficult to achieve unless you’re from Southern California) without having the SoCal bro punk vibes—the lack of SoCal bro punk-ness does seem to add a character that is rather unique. Perfect background music to these dark times. Highly recommended.

Toeheads Mixed Up / Told You So 7″

Detroit’s TOEHEADS do their best early OBLIVIANS impersonation. It’s a hard-to-fuck-up formula guaranteed to get Mom shakin’ it. They do it well, and they have a fuck-ton of other releases online, including a MISFITS cover EP(!). Bedtime.

Träumer Träumer cassette

Inflammatory tape by this hardcore punk band from Los Angeles, California. Five tracks of fierce and pernicious attacks of loud and distorted praises to thrashing around and flipping the finger to this horrible world. I need more TRÄUMER!

Utrota 7 Track Demo / Radioaktiv Ödemark LP

Crispy and sizzling splashes of D-beat noize käng from Sweden. This is an LP comp of UTROTA’S two demos, limited to 300 copies on black or white vinyl. Overall, this is classic D- beat played in the raw and higher register such as DISCLOSE or GLORIOUS? Some aspects remind me of HORRENDOUS 3D. There is something seething and mechanical about it, though. This is a timeless entry in the slew of bands like this. UTROTA sounds like a demo that would cost you hundreds today had it been released in 1984. It’s sort of laid-back but equally pulverizing. Could it all use a bit more bass? Perhaps. The floor tom takes care of all that, anyway. The second demo is heavier, also. Think the build of STATE OF FEAR as this LP progresses into the late second half. They lay it all down sharp until it becomes a slow burn. A perpetual cycle in the demo zones; in its purest hardcore-mangel form. Vibing SVAVELDIOXID on the last couple tracks. So don’t miss out on this—I really wish they had sent me a copy, but I’m now about to take my own advice.

V/A Good Times RnR Compilation, Vol. 3 2xLP

What I believe started as a few of the Sydney rock mutants (RESEARCH REACTOR CORP., GEE TEE, and SET-TOP BOX) fartin’ around and playing some covers has now morphed into a full-blown spectacle. After recruiting a bunch of like-minded bands and fleshing the project out into legit comp (2020’s GTRRC II), we now find them pooling their resources with labels Erste Theke Tontraeger, Legless, and Under the Gun to bring you 46—46!—tracks across two whole damn LPs from pretty much every band in the contemporary egg-leaning punk scene. And, look, there are some cool bands on here and some cool songs, but you already know you don’t need this. It’s basically the punk equivalent of a giant sack of Halloween candy. There’s plenty of good stuff in here, but there’s also quite a few Tootsie Rolls, some generic-ass orange and black wrapped taffies, and even a few toothbrushes and pennies. Some sickos are going to sit down and eat the whole bag, and some fun-haters are going to steer clear of it entirely. But most folks are going to pick at the good stuff, setting a few things aside to come back to later. For me that good stuff—the Snickers and Almond Joys, if you will—would include SPODEE BOY (covering STICK MEN WITH RAY GUNS’ “Hell to Pay”), C.O.F.F.I.N. (FUNKADELIC’s “Super Stupid”), SCIENCE MAN (ZZ TOP’s “Sharp Dressed Man”), MUTANT STRAIN (the GERMS’ “Strange Notes”), and SPINAL CRAP (I’m pretty this is SCHIZOS playing ROSE TATTOO’s “Nice Boys”). I’m sure your pile would look a little different.

V/A Bonded as One, Volume 1 2xLP

Running the gamut of styles, mostly made up of melodic punk bands with some street punk, hardcore, and ska-punk peppered in here and there. This compilation is ambitious in its attempt, and the fact that this is “Volume 1” means that, in theory at least, the folks at Dead At Zero have plans for future volumes. While there’s not really a bad song in the bunch, perhaps they could have trimmed this down to the best of the best, made this an LP’s worth of songs/bands, and saved the other LP’s worth of material for a potential “Volume 2.” Not a bad first outing here. Definitely would recommend to anyone who grew up on the Punk-O-Rama and Fat Wreck comps, as this definitely has the same feel. There are a handful of well-known bands on here, although I’m not sure if any of this stuff is unreleased as there is really no info other than track listings. Additionally, when trying to get a bit more info on this thing, I scoured the internet and could only find an Instagram page, but no ordering info. So good luck with that.

Vidro Glöd LP

Attitude is one of the most, if not the most, important qualities that make up a punk band. Otherwise, it’s just rock’n’roll! VIDRO is all about the angst: the fury that pours through the way the songs play out, and the way the singer spills aggression with every scream. Members from all around the world and a drummer that played in HUVUDTVÄTT, a classic Scandi punk band. Glöd is a great modern banger, a fresh-sounding “fuck you” and then some. This might be your new favourite band, so don’t sleep on it!

Vision 3D Hypnose LP

Well, I’m a big dumb idiot. I sat on this record for nearly a month before giving it a spin because I was dreading reviewing it. I’d never heard of the band, their name seemed annoyingly generic, and I could easily imagine this cover being slapped on a record I hated. Plus it’s a whole damn LP! That means that I’m going to have to endure eleven songs and 30-plus minutes of music that probably sucks over the course of multiple listens. Except, it doesn’t suck. Not even a little bit. Turns out VISION 3D, a trio out of Toulouse, France, has cobbled together one of the best guitar rock records I’ve heard in a long time, by combining nearly everything I’ve loved about garage punk over the past twenty years. Throughout the record you’ll get snatches of the COUNTRY TEASERS’ detuned cowpoke post-punk, THEE OH SEES’ trebly reverbed-to-hell garage-psych freakouts, the early BLACK LIPS’ “I’ve Got a Knife” attitude, and, for good measure, MAN OR ASTRO-MANS?’s outer space raygun surf. Then that’s all topped with some great multi-tracked vocals that would fit in somewhere among a KLEENEX-ish yelp, the too-cool-for-school contemporary post-punk vocals of the WORLD, and the avant-garage-pop chanson of STEREOLAB or the LIMIÑANAS. Just an absolutely fantastic record put out by a band with an actually fitting name that, in retrospect, has a perfect cover. I wish I’d had an additional month with it.

Vivisected Numbskulls Swine in Chains EP

Solo venture of Max Parker of such delightful acts as 100% BLOOD, HOUNDS OF WAR, and SUBVERSIVE RITE. If the 4-Track Demo was good, Swine in Chains is even better! This isn’t for everyone, but the ones who truly appreciate the UK82 sound with D-beat undertones will love this. There is also a metallic aura about this recording that is undeniable and will reach the metalpunk enjoyers as well. Imagine DISCHARGE jamming with the PARTISANS in a sewer in post-apocalyptic Nuke York. To sum things up, all of his mentioned bands have a specific ambiance to them that will remind you of discovering some obscure band from the ’80s. Total raw assault!

White Stains Blood on the Beach EP

Punk has always been defined by either how much you give a shit or how little, and Pittsburgh’s WHITE STAINS exemplifies the appeal of both. The music feels urgent, it’s seasoned, driving, old school punk rock with a good sizzle to it. Early ’80s California scene-indebted but not corny or retro. The vocals, on the other hand, sound like they were recorded with a beer in one hand while sitting on the couch. I mean that in the best way possible. The sarcastic “ha ha ha” on closer “Laughing Gas” drips with dismissal. Like you’re dumb for even listening. It’s the kind of degradation that leaves me desperate for more. Each track has teeth and chews on you like a bone, the songwriting is solid and varied. As the Steven Wright punchline goes, “see, that’s how you do that.”

Paranoise / X-Acto split EP

Split 7” from two synth-addled punk collectives. X-ACTO layers lo-fi insect synths over garage hardcore with goofy lyrics. “Smell Like Beef” sounds like a malfunctioning Speak & Spell holding its own with the punks. The chorus is “What’s that smell? I smell like beef.” Kinda gross. During the bridge on “Blastbeats,” the buzzing electronics and drums evoke the LOCUST, but not quite as heavy. For fans of RESEARCH REACTOR CORPORATION. PARANOISE’s side is, and I don’t particularly like this word, wackier. One of the first records I ever bought was a MAN OR ASTRO-MAN? 7”, and when I got it home, I played it at the wrong speed and sat there like, “What the fuck is this? It sounds like cartoons.” PARANOISE gives me the same feeling, like everything is sped up and just a little off. What I do like is the chromatic riffing they do and the relentless downbeat drumming on “Sixth Kind.” Try as hard as they might to be eggy dorks, it’s a hardcore ripper. Recommended if you thought the CONEHEADS played it a little too seriously.

Young Ruins Severance Play cassette

Cataclysmic darkwave/post-punk/hardcore sound from Brooklyn’s YOUNG RUINS. The opener “Rabbits” has a tremulous guitar riff like JOY DIVISION’s “New Dawn Fades,” which simply repeats “I could be the god / You could be the lamb / Take you by throat.” Even in our news-cycle culture that has forgotten last month, let alone last year’s news, this recording from 2016, finally released in 2021, is still very current. “Actual Women” and “Law Enforcement” speak for themselves, while “On Hold” encapsulates YOUNG RUINS stream of conscience theme. Songs wonder lyrically, brooding on the mundane, mixed with social conflict, as in “So alive culturally, little house on the BQE / We all still lock our doors at night / Expensive, local, everything” from the closer “Game Over.” The instrumentation is jabby and loud, but with earned breaks from chaos; and mostly the songs move in a single direction: rising crescendo to end right there at the top, ignoring typical verse/chorus patterns. I would highly recommend this cassette.