Reviews

MRR #475 • December 2022

Abstain Infirm of Purpose 12″

In a day and age where heavy/heavier hardcore is dominated by BULLDOZE wannabes, this edge powerhouse really stands out against the grain. While the band is ultimately indebted to heavy edge bands of the ’90s (think Belgian H8000 bands such as CONGRESS’ first 7” and LENGTH OF TIME), what it lacks in technical, prolonged solos is made up for here with a stronger element of UNBROKEN, Satisfaction-era HATEBREED, and even New Jersey’s RESSURECTION (to an extent). By no means is this some tragic ode to desiring to be a part of a different time, as the band take influence from newer bands, with the vocal style sounding somewhat similar to New England’s BROKEN VOW. For me, a particular highlight came with the opening of the second song, “Faced With A Choice,” which is nothing other than brilliant. They show a lot of promise here, so here’s hoping for a stellar LP someday.

Acid Children Perverts Lobotomy demo cassette

What the fuck is going on with Roachleg Records? It feels as if the label has a secret laboratory where they hold each of their bands in a dirty basement where they have been conditioned or animated to play such amazing punk music, and then sometimes vanish as fast as they have appeared. Either they have a great scouting agent, or they have created a scene where bands with the craziest ideas and obvious love for obscure punk can be free and fuck everything up. ACID CHILDREN fits perfectly into this scene. Lo-fi freak sound, drums mimicking when two metal sheets are slapped together by drunk kids, the not-always-on-rhythm beats mixing well with the rusty-sounding guitars, and the rest of the sound based on constant collapsing, as if the different parts were thrown together and still merged perfectly. When fast, when slow, the pace connects to the people—it has that human element I always look for; it always feels natural, and within such an environment we can witness the ups and downs of a psychedelic trip. Those fucked-up solos, the bit of black metal-ish tone in the vocals, the chaotic fast parts, the melting-apart breaks. This is great thrashing freak music. Each song is over two minutes, which is something I am always picky about, but here the four songs rather sound like eight different ones—that much shit is happening, or that is how easy it is to listen to. Super interested in whether they will continue and make more greater, stranger records. If not, then in twenty years, Roachleg will be this cult classic label having their tapes going for triple-digit prices. Be smart, get their tapes now.

Addenda Or​ò​dic LP

Another album that opens with an interesting instrumental and then tears right into some melodic hardcore. The vocals are a little more higher-pitched than I would have expected and there are some interesting chord changes here and there, and just when I think a song might be running the risk of becoming too long…it’s over. They even managed to slide in a couple more instrumentals and a grindcore-ish song and it all flows really well. Well done!

An Slua How Ya Gettin’ On​?​ EP

Irish fockin’ Oi! Enough said! This EP has everything you can ask for in an Oi! record: memorable hooks, melodic “feel-good” guitar licks, and a steady groove. What sets this band apart is their political views, particularly when it comes to veganism, which is an integral part of punk (or it should be). As someone who cares about animal rights, it’s really appealing when a band comes up with such views. Also, these four lads add a bit of post-punk influences here and there, making it even more special. Remember to eat your veggies!

Äni(X)Väx Schock und Drama LP

I wanted so badly to like this. On paper, ÄNI(X)VÄX (which is apparently code for “animal vaccination”) are legendary. Birthed from the fertile mid-’80s German punk scene, stories abound of post-gig punks-versus-police street fights, and something referred to as the “Odeon Pizza Battle of 1988.” Sick! Despite appearances on a handful of comps, they were unable to release any records during their five-year lifespan. That gives them mystique. One of their guitar players is named Fast Gonzo! What’s not to like!? Cue the first song…of the thirteen tracks on Schock und Drama, six are studio recordings and seven are live takes from various shows. Obviously, the sound quality is not going to be the best on some of the live tunes. That’s not the issue. What it really boils down to is that the songs are just not that interesting. It’s your basic four-chord, mid-tempo boilerplate punk. Sloppy but lacking chaos, the tracks overstay their welcome by being too repetitive. The vocalist has an uninspired sing-the-riff delivery that doesn’t hold my attention the way that the pictures and stories of the band do. To be fair, nothing here is egregious or even bad, but the mediocrity makes the disappointment somehow worse. ÄNI(X)VÄX, as represented here, just doesn’t compare to the heavyweights of the era. If you are interested in Deutschpunk, check out VORKRIEGSJUGEND’s excellent 1983 EP Heute Spass, Morgen Tod, INFERNO’s The Son of God EP from ’85, or the Let’s Have More Fun compilation on which ÄNI(X)VÄX appears. As a historical document, Schock und Drama is quite fascinating. I’m glad that it exists. It’s just a shame that the music falls short.

Arma X Violento Ritual LP

Music to crush your enemies to. ARMA X from Madrid, Spain crafted a record of pummelling heavy hardcore/beatdown. With Xs Sharpied proudly on their hands, the band produces only the hardest riffing and throws an ungodly amount of dive bombs your way in between. And, unlike many heavy HxC records, Violento Ritual doesn’t overstay its welcome, containing eight songs in under twenty minutes. This is an LP that is bound to crush all the weak who attempt to take it on—not one for the faint of heart.

Auto Hardcore 2022 demo cassette

The title of this demo tape from Singapore’s AUTO says all you need to know—this is fast, raw, uncompromising hardcore fucking punk rock. Hardcore 2022 contains seven songs in almost as many minutes. Clearly influenced by the classic American and European hardcore bands, AUTO does a stellar job at bringing that same aggression to 2022. Initially self-released in the beginning of the year, La Vida Es Un Mus has given this rager a wider release…so what are you waiting for?

Bass Feens Bass Feens CD

There were a couple endearing things making first impressions with this disc. First, the band included a nice, handwritten note in the review copy, which is wholesome as fuck. The other was that the disc was burned as a CD-R of WAV files rather than a proper CD, which had me hunting down a device to play it with on my laptop. That took me back. BASS FEENS are two punks grinding out earnest, high-tempo punk rock in their garage somewhere in Davis, CA. With a two-piece band, everything has to be solid, and they deliver track after track of driving, full-bodied punk rock you can party and/or skateboard to. “Reset” is a banger.

Bev Rage & the Drinks Exes & Hexes LP

Second LP from Chicago’s indie/garage/queercore group BEV RAGE & THE DRINKS, led by the larger-than-life drag queen BEV RAGE. These tracks are fun, poppy, fast, and fervently personal—the soundtrack of a party that’s rowdy yet responsible (“Drink Water”), brash yet sensitive (“Younger Lover”). Besides BEV’s persona in the spotlight, I think the synth and keys add a lot to the band’s otherwise obvious indie sound, my favorite example of which is the closer track “Mist Connection,” which is almost haunting. Toss back a couple shots between your glasses of water and have a good time with this.

Blatant Dissent 1985–1986 LP

As a teenager growing up in the Midwest during the first half of the 1990s, it’s perhaps unsurprising that I enjoyed the rock band TAR. TAR was a kind of emblematic middle-of-America noise rock band—they constructed their guitars from aluminum and they put out records on labels like Touch and Go and Amphetamine Reptile. But unlike, say, COWS or LAUGHING HYENAS, TAR was actually kind of a straight-ahead band, playing a sort of glum, deceptively hook-filled mid-tempo rock music. They even pulled a neat trick by having their final album, 1995’s Over and Out, be their finest work. But before TAR, most of the members learned their trade in the post-hardcore group BLATANT DISSENT. This collection LP pulls together two different recording sessions that resulted in a couple 7”s and the Hold the Fat album, and includes unreleased versions of some tracks. The first side was recorded with famed engineer Iain Burgess, who recorded many classic T&G sides, while the ’86 side is the early work of one Steve Albini, who also remastered this material from the original tapes. What’s interesting is that a lot of the 1985 material isn’t that different from the sonic trademarks of Washington, DC’s concurrent Revolution Summer scene. Even the lyrical concerns, often addressing their fellow punks, echo these sentiments. Hell, “Undermine” is practically a straightedge anthem. “Is There a Fear?” channels NAKED RAYGUN like they were born to it, while “My Hands Are Tied” opens with a PINK FLOYD-like acoustic bit before erupting into a tuneful swift kick that isn’t far removed from a late ’90s “melodic hardcore” band. “Eleven Days” shows how the band is able to give shape to the bleak, colorless days that dot the Midwestern calendar year. “How Can I Lose?” and “Status Quo” are highlights, all nervous energy and killer hooks. For obvious reasons, the 1986 sessions reveal a far tighter and more powerful band. By this point, BLATANT DISSENT had locked down its sound and it was only a matter of time until they would craft their aluminum guitars and solidify the sound of TAR.

Bosque Rojo Tiempo Vacio LP

From the start, Tiempo Vacio sets BOSQUE ROJO up for greatness. This power trio from Montreal plays post-punk that leans more towards the punk side of the spectrum, but done in a perfect manner. They definitely have a gloomy aura about them that sometimes gets mixed with some Oi!-style hooks, and the vocals in Spanish just add to the dramatic and urgent effect. Like a darker version of the WIPERS. An essential record for 2022.

C0mputer Masturbation Ritual cassette

I’m going to make up a new subgenre: Outsider Tech Death. If you can imagine kids weaned on SLIPKNOT and SYSTEM OF A DOWN who create a DIY metalcore band…that’s what we’re looking at with Florida’s C0MPUTER. It doesn’t make sense, but in the same way that JANE and SYSTRAL didn’t make sense in 1998, maybe the punks just need to grow into these sounds. Maybe the future is Outsider Tech Death. Maybe the future is C0MPUTER.

Call in Dead Deepest Condolences LP

Whatever anyone’s feelings are toward “old-head punk” or this release, one has to admire three former hardcore kids for regrouping years later to create something ultimately quite modern that doesn’t feel out of touch by today’s standards. While I initially expected this to be undoubtedly indebted by early ’80s American bands such as AGRESSION or whatever, their influences range all over the place, from ’90s chug-core alluding to the likes of the Victory Records catalogue to…reggae? What the fuck, indeed. Albeit, I’ll admit I really enjoyed some parts of it, given I wasn’t expecting to at all. However, while “old guy” punk is always going to be hit or miss, by the standards of today’s releases, this isn’t something I will go back to frequently.

Campingsex 1914! LP reissue

Reissue of the 1985 full-length from this German no wave crew—Thurston Moore is apparently a big fan, even claiming that SONIC YOUTH was inspired by CAMPINGSEX, but the admiration was almost certainly mutual; 1914! came out two years after Confusion is Sex (which might as well be the lost-in-translation origin of CAMPINGSEX’s bizarre band name), and it’s a similarly harrowing trip through a shaking hell. Industrial terror-clang rhythms nicked from EINSTÜRZENDE NEUBAUTEN and filthy BIRTHDAY PARTY-descended bass grind beneath stern, ranting vocals that frequently lapse into distressed primal screams, channeling the bombed-out urban decay and no-future nihilism of Cold War-era Berlin into a series of eight howling, pitch-black post-punk dirges. But much like with mid-’80s SONIC YOUTH, there’s some gnarled moments of melody to be found lurking within CAMPINGSEX’s fucked-up feedback sprawls—the male/female trade-off backing shouts intersecting with Max Müller’s raw, unraveling vocals in “Schließ Die Tür,” or the almost sing-song break toward the end of “Liebe” where the guitar squall briefly drops out, or the Peter Hook-styled bass run that launches the droning bile-spew of “Guten Morgen.” Brutal and brutalist.

Castillo Promo Tape cassette

Of the incredibly rich and fulsome Mendeku Diskak back catalogue, CASTILLO is certainly one of my favourites. First formed as a lockdown project, the now fully-formed band follow off the back of their debut with a promo tape that acts as an amuse-bouche for the future, and if this is anything to go by, what a tasty treat we have in store. Chiming, anthemic guitars, barked furious vocals à la NEW YORK HOUNDS, and even a riff on the second half that sounds like nos amis en RIXE produced it, and there’s very little higher praise for the contemporary crophead.

Chaotic Youth Demo 81 LP

Punk relic from the UK82 wave reissued by Nausea Records (UK), featuring Scotland’s CHAOTIC YOUTH’s demo from 1981. Teenage aggression and rotten presentation of Margaret Thatcher’s era. Really good bass lines, and the singer’s voice has a classic UK82 style, ranting and screaming for change and angst. Favorite track: “Violence in the City.” You can feel the teenage vibes, and if you played in a punk band as a youngster, you are gonna feel at home. Great effort with the archiving and mastering of the material on behalf of Nausea Records.

Cherry Cheeks Cherry Radio EP

Portland-based Orlandoan Kyle Harms is back with six more tracks of his trebly mix of DEVO, JAY REATARD, and late ’00s garage pop. The Bandcamp copy notes that this was recorded in 2020 (though, the liner notes on the physical release are silent on the matter), which would mean that these tracks likely predate those from last year’s Total Punk LP. In any case, this session seems to have yielded a somewhat poppier crop of tunes. The songwriting is as crisp as ever and the production is busy—full of intricately-laid layers of buzzy synths and warbly guitar overdubs—but fun. Worth picking up, for sure!

Cloud Rat Cloud Rat Redux LP

A remastered, partially re-recorded version of Michigan grindcore trio CLOUD RAT’s debut album. If you’re familiar with them, then you heard this when it first came out over a decade ago. The record itself is great; the guitar swapping between relentlessly brutal and beautifully elegant riffs. The drums embody the classic grind element, while the vocals are non-stop barbarity from the moment you hit play. There’s a reason why this band is one of the top players in the game today. I just don’t think I understand the point of reworking the album—I personally think the original release still sounds better. If you’re a grind fan who appreciates ever-evolving production, then you’ll love this.

Collision Sur Les Trottoirs LP

COLLISION is a French band from Nantes who embrace their native tongue and write really catchy songs. Sounding like something that could have come out during the heyday of Lookout! or even a RANCID side project, COLLISION is able to fill a void in many people’s collections. Blending elements of Oi!, punk rock, and even a bit of two-tone into a raucous good time, COLLISION is contemporary rock’n’roll. I found Sur Les Trottoirs to be a nuanced album, but also something that brought to mind bands like CRIMPSHRINE, OPERATION IVY, and BRAIN FAILURE, while the French lyrics made everything fresh and just a little more interesting. Some downtuned moments of flanged guitars bring in a very minor element of post-punk darkness which only elevates the feelings of melancholy and angst swirling on this album.

Crime Light crime​​/​​​/​​shame​​/​​​/​​illumination cassette

This is CRIME LIGHT’s debut five-song cassette. Each cut brings a very classic meat-and-potatoes hardcore sound with a touch of metal riff seasonings. The overall feel of the group and the samples they use throughout this tape brings to mind early INCENDIARY and HIS HERO IS GONE. The eponymous ending track adds a new layer of vocal harmonizing to the mix which is a satisfying left turn. Keep it coming. I wanna see them play now.

Dadar Iron Cage LP

Well-executed lo-fi egg-punk directly from Parma, Italy. DADAR’s fourth album sounds really balanced, with the right amount of loop effects and synth lines that follow the rhythm of the song, and manages to deliver a really good sound. Also, the vocals are a lil’ bit dubbed,  accomplishing that garage feeling egg-punk should evoke. Suggested tracks: “Rewiring,” “Sound of Sirens,” and the last track of this album, “112.” Reminds me of WWW, cyberpunk friends from Argentina. If you like synth sounds and eggy garage punk, this is an excellent album for you. If you wish to hear emerging bands from other countries that aren’t the US or UK playing fine egg-punk, this is your choice for a starting place (at least in Europe).

Daddy’s Boy Great News! LP

“Questionably hardcore” is how DADDY’S BOY describe themselves. Maybe it’s not as much questionable, but more they’re playing a kind of hardcore that’s left of the current center. The music on here isn’t invested in having the big breakdown payoff for the crowd killers or trying in vain to keep up with what’s fashionable. Being yourself is hard enough and good enough, and the band unquestionably does that. DADDY’S BOY whips up weighty, scrambled layers of noise, the songs built on back-and-forth movements of tension and release. The bass gives the music some ballast, as the guitar and drums are pulling their leashes in chaotic directions. The vocals are under threat of being buried beneath the fray and I wish they took up a little more space, as the lyrics are stronger and more lucid than most right now—lived-in screeds against work, capital, cops, and all the other failing systems crumbling at the moment.

Data Unknown W/P cassette

Last year’s Promo Only tape was a killer, but on W/P, Indiana’s DATA UNKNOWN steps up the weird and leans even heavier on the synths (as if that was possible). The result is a true freak stomp, barely recognizable as punk and undeniably punk as a result. Tweaked TUBEWAY ARMY sounds clashing with a triple threat of early Rough Trade, SUICIDE, and Midwestern nihilism. Total brain-melt in the best way.

Delivery Forever Giving Handshakes LP

Melbourne, Australia five-piece that plays in a comfortable place between garage and indie. With all five members contributing to vocals, these songs keep you guessing. “Wear It Well,” and generally the female-sung tracks, remind me of contemporaries AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS, and are scrappier than the male-led songs, which have a more breezy, indie flavor. Lots of trebly guitar riffs on these longer-format songs, with plenty of instrumental breaks between verses featuring carnival keyboard lines. “Baader Meinhof” has a music video on their Bandcamp site, if you want to see these Aussies in action. It took me a few listens, but I think there’s a lot of fun stuff here.

Deviated Instinct Terminal Filth Stench-Core: The 86 Demo LP

In 1986, a crusty nuclear bomb hit the punk scene. A gloomy fascination with the darkest of punk (at the time) in the form of AMEBIX and ANTISECT, plus some bits and pieces of thrash and death metal, gave birth to a subgenre that still stinks (pun intended) to this day: stenchcore. Thirty-six years later, Terminal Filth Stench-Core, the classic demo by DEVIATED INSTINCT, gets a proper vinyl issue via Agipunk in partnership with Terminal Filth Records (run by bass player Snapa), featuring new artwork from Mid and remastered by Bri Doom of DOOM fame. A solid classic stenchcore demo that stinks all over, but in a good way.

Dimber Always Up to You LP

Debut LP from Los Angeles’s DIMBER. This sounds like if the lead singer of COHEED AND CAMBRIA started a melodic pop punk band, and was serious about it. Introspective, confessional lyrics, so that, with their style in mind, we get…an emo band? On the other hand, in a track like “Tyler” (featuring a different vocalist, I believe), I hear something closer to college rock, à la the DESCENDENTS. If you need an outlet for your sass and angst, here it is! The cover of “Better Off Alone” is hilarious and surprising, and made the whole thing worth it for me.

Dominant Patri Heroes Glory 12″

Formed in the early ’80s in Luton, England, DOMINANT PATRI were a part of the thriving anarcho-punk movement raging on in ’80s Britain. Forty years later, their first demo tape gets the reissue treatment…and rightfully so! The title track of the Heroes Glory 12″ is a brooding peace punk dirge, while the other two tracks are more of the classic “pounding drums with drill sergeant-esque barking” anarcho-punk variety. All three tracks rip incredibly hard! Thanks to the wonderful people at Demo Tapes Records, you can experience this rediscovered anarcho gem for yourself now—go do that!

Dustpan Out of My Mind LP+CD

Blistering collection of 30-second-long fastcore/crust blasts from Chiba’s DUSTPAN. I’ve come across some doses of their brand of mania before (the band has been kicking around since the early 2000s), but Out of My Mind is next-level; FLASH GORDON-caliber fury with LIFE assault and production. Might be tough to snag this one outside of Japan, but it’s well worth the effort.

Earth Mother Fucker IVF CD

Live recordings are a tough sell in the best of circumstances. I tend to avoid them, even with bands that I love. I do not love EARTH MOTHER FUCKER. They’ve apparently been around since the late ’80s, though this was my first time hearing them. IVF is a seven-song live set of bog standard angular noise rock. The bulk of the songs appear to come from the band’s early era. Maybe they sounded more inspired then. Their signature track is titled “I Fuck Therefore I Am.” Cool. This is like hearing JESUS LIZARD overdose on Ambien and boredom. Snooze.

Eater Outside View / You 7″ reissue

Formed in 1976, EATER was there in the early days of this thing called punk. They were the kids on the block (with ages ranging from fourteen to seventeen) who managed to gain the respect of the DAMNED and the BUZZCOCKS to such a degree that both of those bands opened for them at various gigs. In their day, however, they were considered average, even “run-of-the-mill”—but here is why that conception is not entirely correct, and why this reissue is such a critical piece of ephemera. Reason one: I wish at the average age of EATER I was in a band of peers capable of creating such a passionate and refined piece of sonic history. Number two, I don’t know if it’s the age of the band or if it’s the hindsight of time, but EATER sounds far ahead of their time, as if EATER’s youth gave them the ability to play with greater intensity and an authentic fuck-all attitude compared to their contemparies, and these characteristics and attitudes allowed them to accept and even accentuate the rawness of their art, thus creating a work that is so far ahead of its time that I could play this EP for someone and they’d guess it was a recent recording. I would even hazard to say EATER is more articulate and culturally relevant than some of the stuff that goes around saying it’s punk rock nowadays. “Outside View” is a rhythm-heavy romp of pogo-able, pop-tinged lyrics about the struggles of being working class. Chunky bass guitar lines with quick runs abound on both tracks, the guitar work is often light and jangly with a slight delay or decay giving it a mild ambient effect, the drums are kept snappy with quick fills, and the vocals have a sound that is only achieved by having more passion than Johnny Rotten and having breathed in more mill soot. This is one of those discs you flip over and over endlessly as both songs are completely infectious

Elevate Stab From the Front cassette

Tough-as-nails hardcore from Indonesia. There’s a lot to like here. Stripped-down, concise songwriting with no time for bullshit or solos. A UK82 influence rears its head on tracks like “Torture Dance” and “Scum.” They must really know how to pogo in West Borneo! Cliches be damned, you can judge this record by its cover; the artwork by Renaldy Armanda is sick. The slow, mosh-y dirge of “Fool” doesn’t appeal to me, but it is the shortest of the five songs at least. All around, this is a solid release. Well worth checking out.

Ella Se Peló Resiliencia cassette

ELLA SE PELÓ shifts musical gears throughout this record, usually at a manic pace. It’s not that thrash metal riffs, post-HC noise, or melodic hardcore are so different from one another, but the frequency with which they’re rotated here left me spinning. It felt like I was listening to a sampler of 30-second-long songs by different bands. Luckily, each of those bands was quite good. ELLA SE PELÓ is incredibly tight and executes all those riffs, breakdowns, and instrumentals with skill. Each part, however different, sounds great, if a bit brief. I would have preferred to stay with one or two styles the whole time, or for longer stretches.

Empire Easy Life / Enough of the Same 7″

EMPIRE and their sole LP Expensive Sound (the reissue of which was reviewed recently here) has always been more famous for who it inspired than for the music itself. Like many, I heard about it as one of the key inspirations to the fabled era of Washington DC’s Revolution Summer scene. As the legend goes, the record came out in the UK, the label immediately folded soon after, and with no way to promote it, the album and band faded into obscurity. Somehow, copies made their way to the well-curated import bins of famed DC area record store Yesterday and Today and into the hands of members of EMBRACE and GRAY MATTER (among others), inspiring a more melodic and rhythmically diverse path out of DC hardcore. But even divorced from the influence they’ve had, EMPIRE’s music deserves more attention for taking on the gloomier, doomier parts of post-punk combined with the hook-injected power pop punk they had perfected in their previous band GENERATION X (a band that still seems overlooked as far as first-wave British punk groups go). Bob Derwood Andrews’ carefully crafted melodic guitar lines are the guiding star of the EMPIRE sound—spacious and echoing riffs, but also bristling with fiery solo fretwork. Forced to the mic out of necessity, and lacking any percentage of the rock’n’roll frontman genes that GEN X-er Billy Idol held in his curled lip, Bob Andrews’ vocals instead have a shy choir boy charm, singing simply and observationally about the world and his feelings towards it, letting his guitar give the songs their anthemic punch. The rhythm section of fellow GEN X alum Mark Laff on drums and enlisted bassist Simon Bernal keep a consistent bedrock under Andrews, occasionally dropping into sparse, gray sky grooves but mostly bringing a high-energy minimalist uplift to the songs. This single, containing two songs meant for the unreleased follow-up to Expensive Sound, are perfect specimens of the EMPIRE sound. “Easy Life” starts off with a rainy day descending riff and Andrews examining the trappings of dull adulthood, before exploding into a huge, ascending rock chorus. This song and the B-side “Enough of the Same” are full of the loud/quiet dynamics that would be hallmarks of alternative/indie rock/what-have-you in years to come. Though it took 40 years and a chance detour through the import bins of Washington DC, EMPIRE could finally be getting their due and an audience to appreciate them.

Extinction of Mankind Baptised in Shit LP reissue

Mid-’90s UK crust was a huge part of my interest in the heavier spectrums of punk rock as I was finishing up school and entering a world where I really made my own decisions for the most part. This scene of music, including the Bradford 1 in 12 Club and Flat Earth Records, was very formidable for me lyrically, culturally, stylistically, and musically. HELLKRUSHER, EXCREMENT OF WAR, DOOM, ENT, CONCRETE SOX, EXTINCTION OF MANKIND…all a huge deal to me. Okay, enough about me. I haven’t even started listening to this yet! Objectively, Baptised in Shit is a walloping heavy crust album. Dirgelike, epic, D-beaten, metallically riffed crust punk. It reeks of bitter pessimism, channeling earlier UK bands such as ANITSECT, ICONS OF FILTH, STONE THE CROWZ, NAPALM DEATH, and AMEBIX, and certainly pulls inspiration from European thrash metal from about a decade earlier such as ONSLAUGHT and CELTIC FROST. There are also peace punk moments reminiscent of OI POLLOI, LIBERTY, or OMEGA TRIBE. It is not the fastest of their ilk, but it flows and is immersive. If you’ve never checked out this debut album, now is your chance to get a good deal. This remastered reissue really brings out the metal guitar tones and rolling drum moments. INSTINCT OF SURVIVAL, VISIONS OF WAR, GUIDED CRADLE, even EFFIGY and HELLSHOCK really would not stand out as they do today without a nod to albums like this one.

Fatal Vision Zeitgeist LP

Now we’re talking. Originally released in 1984, this short-lived Long Island act expressed their sound on a demo which is all killer, no filler, just true outrageous early American fastcore. While a little bit late to the game, it’s brilliant that this demo finally sees the light of day with a wider audience in HC thanks to the internet. Ultimately, what comes to mind is other contemporaries who were perhaps a bit earlier than them such as the MOB (NY), but more so, you can see where influence from acts such as the ABUSED came in with slower, trudging guitar sections that we would all come to know as “mosh parts,” so it’s sick to see bands in Long Island getting influenced by that as early as this. However, the vocalist really reminds me of Sab Grey from IRON CROSS meets the madness and franticness of Springa or Jackal from YDI, which is just awesome. Go listen to this.

Feral Kids Feral Hits! 12″

This recording opens with a soundbite lifted from Mad Max to let you know this is the music you’ll play while causing chaos in your Durango 95 (no apologies for these mixed movie references). Classic thrash metal for ne’er-do-wells, FERAL KIDS offer big lead guitar riffs, raucous vocals, and that sound that only comes from being a part of the road crew. The song “Dusty Breeze” is about as chilled out as FERAL KIDS get, and even then they’re still shredding and thrashing.

Foil Peruvian Coke flexi EP

Short and ferocious, Peruvian Coke is a wall of reverb and distortion-drenched spleen and spit.  KCMO’s FOIL has been kicking around for a few years, and the band has released a handful of demos and cassettes, some through the band’s lead screamer Jame Mendenhall’s Dirtbag Distro. All three tracks on this are very solid and bring Grown Up Fucked Up-era RETARDS to mind a bit. I need more.

Frvits Stupid Era EP

A fluctuating debut EP from a Canadian four-piece that brings together what sounds like (and comes off as) unfinished song after unfinished song. This is rough, I can’t grasp any of it without pondering what the amount or type of substances consumed to produce this body of work could possibly have been. Each song becomes progressively more annoying throughout the six songs, with the climax at the end with “Your Shopping Cart Misses You.” Blag Dahlia is somewhere on this EP, but I could not make him out on any track. Bad apples.

Full Bleed Bleed Out demo cassette

This is one of the most demented recordings I have heard in a very long time. I would have said that it’s lower than lo-fi, but if it’s all high end, treble knob cranked and snapped off, then what’s the term for that? I’ve listened to the full tape a few times and still can’t tell exactly what is going on half the time. Is it just a super fuzzed-out guitar with vocals on top? Is someone playing a full drum kit or is that just a snare drum being played from time to time along with the beat? Regardless, there is some undeniably cool songwriting here if you really focus in order to decipher what’s being played. The main thing that sticks with me is how much this dude has an absolutely killer voice. Picture a young Keith Morris with every line of vocals super distorted, having been recorded peaking way into the red. Wildly cool packaging on this—a cassette mailer with artwork glued onto each panel. It’s a good thing that this was sent to someone like me who is really into nasty recordings, because the packaging comes with a razor blade stuck to the front under a strip of painters tape as well as a Band Aid peeled and stuck to the inside cover. What other conclusion could one possibly reach as to what that is to be used for while listening to such a monstrosity entitled Bleed Out?

Gefyr Gefyr LP

Now Sweden, you are just being unfair; you are taking the piss. Seriously. Of course, käng hardcore was born from your womb, so it makes sense that your progeny would master the style. But still. A study from the World Hardcore Agency recently revealed that the ratio of D-takt/käng bands per capita in Sweden was as high as two in major towns, meaning that each Stockholm or Malmö inhabitant plays in at least two Scandicore bands (one of which has to start with the prefix “dis’’ by law; what an odd country, right?). For comparison, we in France have one D-beat band for ten million. I had never heard of GEFYR from Hudiksvall, which is almost insulting since I am a massive sucker for that style, but it appears there are just too many ace bands in Sweden to keep track of. GEFYR’s album, released on Gothenburg’s Flyktsoda, is a pummeling, furious slice of käng with a perfect production for the genre. It has relentless power while keeping a certain hardcore rawness. What a massive kick up the arse. The band is heavily influenced by classics like TOTALITÄR and NO SECURITY, and INFERNOH or PROFOSS also come to mind if you need a modern point of comparison. How could GEFYR fly under my omnipotent radar? The thing was mixed by Jan, engineer at D-Takt Studio and an actual dis-legend—pretty much to Swedish D-beat what Cristiano Ronaldo is to hair products—so it makes sense that it sounds so good.

GG King Evoker Tape 12″

I am super late to the GG KING party. I liked the CARBONAS but just never followed up on singer Greg King’s projects afterwards. My loss. If you are not a genre purist, get on this right now. GG KING takes the basic template of garage punk and cosmically melds it with the far reaches of the rock umbrella to create a delicious mix. Each song is basically an exercise in a new subgenre, and against all odds, it flows perfectly. Good songwriting is good songwriting. “Evoker 1 (Hellslime Radiating from the Basement)” opens the record with menacing bass, chopped windchime samples, dub drums, and ominous German spoken word, which leads right into “Evoker 2 (Circling Starmount),” a blistering, WEAKLING-style black metal assault, complete with blastbeats and shrieked vocals. “Trudging Towards Twilight” delivers a perfect stoner riff, which leads to the crypt-crawling deathrock of “Evoker 3 (Wotever Happens Next).” And so on, all incredible. The final track, “Leigh’s Castle,” stands out as a strong point, with gauzy guitars and keyboard arpeggios that sound like the dreamiest moments of DEERHUNTER meeting the looping shoegaze of MY BLOODY VALENTINE. Unbridled experimentation that pays off with a very weird, satisfying listen. I am going to make up for lost time and check out GG KING’s other records, and I recommend you do the same.

Graven Image Studio Sessions: ’82-’83 LP

It’s a great day when I get to hear an unknown (to me) 1980s USHC band, especially from the South, in an age when dug-up material that’s better off unheard is spewed all over the internet daily like rancid old discharge (not the band). I immediately recognized “My World” from my well-worn-out copy of  the Party or Go Home comp. Everything else here is new to me, not being from Richmond, VA, where they reigned for a good year or so (a long time in teen ’80s hardcore years). They have a lot in common with bands from the era like WHITE CROSS, NO ROCK STARS, or HONOR ROLE—GRAVEN IMAGE’s half of a ’82 split tape with the latter called Your Skull is My Bowl! (best title) is included here. You also get their Kicked Out of the Scene EP, as well as some unheard gems from each session. Shit. If you’re really feeling it, the band has a live set on their own page for your listening pleasure, and there’s a really good article out there on the tragic demise and death of their singer Dwayne Curd if you search for it. Thanks once again to Beach Impediment for the education and just for bringin’ it.

Hank Wood and the Hammerheads You Could Have It / I’d Rather Be With Me 7″

Vinyl reissue of their limited 2019 tour cassingle (which, if you’re keeping score, was issued thrice for a total edition of 560 copies). And it’s quite the upgrade! Despite the waning popularity of the 7”, I gotta imagine this would still be the preferred format over a two-song tape. Plus, this art looks great blown up, and you’re getting a hilariously unnecessary lyric sheet! This initially came out between 2018’s self-titled LP and 2020’s Use Me EP, and it definitely sounds like it. HANK’s still rapping, but he’s getting further away from the early ’70s JAMES BROWN-aping of that LP and closer to that Anthony Kiedis patter you got on the EP. “You Could Have It,” with its motorik, loud/quiet groove and searing but tuneful guitars, sounds like a more profane and anti-social EDDY CURRENT SUPPRESSION RING. It’s great! “I’d Rather Be With Me” sounds like it could have plucked off their 2018 LP, except it’s got this odd, atmospheric, almost indie rock guitar running through it. It reminds me a little of MODEST MOUSE’s “Float On”…which I don’t think I mean as a negative. In any case, HANK WOOD AND THE HAMMERHEADS are one of the most important acts of the past decade, and this release is accordingly essential.

Baixa Permanent / Hatã HÛ/FOSC split EP

Undoubtedly one of the more interesting records I’ve had the pleasure of taking a look at. Barcelona’s HATÂ have an interesting merge of NWOBHC, of course in the vein of bands such as the FLEX and, at points, even PAYDAY, with Spanish lyrics. There is a blatant rawer and slower aspect to the music however, acting somewhat as an homage to UK82, but more specifically other more modern Colombian acts, with elements of UZI expressed at points. While I certainly admire the diverse fusion here, particularly the ode to some of my favourite bands, HATÃ’s approach ultimately felt somewhat lackluster, as hardly any of the tunes failed to truly make an impact. Catalan band BAIXA PERMANENT instantaneously makes much more of an impact from the start of their side, with a take on hardcore paying tribute again to modern Spanish-language hardcore bands, but with the addition of mosh sequences of early/mid-’80s NYHC with drum parts from the likes of KRAUT, and of course early Boston hardcore. Again, such a take is indeed intriguing, and perhaps this could be accomplished, but some of the riffs didn’t feel as iconic as they could’ve been—to an extent, this and the musicianship is what holds both bands back from fully flourishing. While it was a somewhat amusing listen, I feel there could be far more development and impact in the tunes from both bands.

HHH A Por Ellos… Que Son Muchos Y Estan Super Cachas!! LP reissue

HHH should not need an introduction; their fastcore approach in the late ’80s put them on the map with INDIGESTI, LÄRM, HERESY…all the bands that people started aping relentlessly a decade later (for good reason). Riffs border on blur-core (“Ai Otro Lado De Las Ramblas” in particular) and they just sound so fukkn weird and unhinged all the damn time. Everyone talks about Intelectual Punks (and for good reason), but this 27-song LP might be the pinnacle of their signature breakneck thrashing hardcore. On the one hand, it seems weird to see a parade of reissues of records that are not that hard to come by and have been reissued in the last decade (this one got the treatment back in 2014), but then I drop the needle on A Por Ellos… for the first time in a long time and I’m reminded how much people need to hear this shit. So keep pumping out versions, keep reimagining ways to introduce people to the classics, keep the fire on and keep the fire hot. I just hope that these later versions are ending up in new hands (and ears) instead of a bunch old heads buying burner copies…

High Cost What’s Living Worth? 12″

Heavy powerviolence out of NYC. The drums are incredible, going from blistering fast speeds to slow and low breakdowns within mere seconds. The guitars and bass follow along just as closely, and appear to borrow some tricks from black and thrash metal, a really dark tone set early on that continues through the whole record. The vocals are easily the most impressive part: raw, unwavering barking that comes off very natural and relentless. Doesn’t sound like they had to resort to studio tricks to give them that edge. Speaking of, fantastic production and tight as hell.

Hog Discografía 1996​–2001 LP

HOG is one of those ’90s bands I am familiar with but that I don’t actually know well. I remember hearing them and thinking they were alright, but did not bother checking their whole body of work. But since I love ’90s political crusty hardcore and Mexican punk in general, it proved to be fun to explore. They were from the Distrito Federal in Mexico and had three tapes (two of which were splits with ULTIMA RAZON MENTAL and INSURRECCION) and one proper EP released on Lengua Armada (it included their side from the split with URM), the well-known hardcore label run by Martin Crudos. This discography LP opens with HOG’s first tape from 1997 and it is probably my favourite of their recordings. They don’t sound full-on ’90s crust, but there is definitely a crusty element (they have clearly been listening to HIATUS). I can also hear that furious brand of thrashing Latin American political hardcore like the mighty ABUSO SONORO from Brazil (throw in some Scottish SEDITION, too), and it is not irrelevant to point out similarities with other raging Mexican bands like DESOBEDIENCIA CIVIL or DISCORDIA. The next songs are taken from the split with URM and show a more chaotic, grindcore-oriented HOG. The backbone is still of the threatening political thrashing hardcore variety, but the songs are shorter, a bit more complex and rougher, not unlike a more controlled REGENERACION maybe, and they hit hard. The last songs are written with a similar intent and originally appeared on compilations. It would be far-fetched to claim HOG were a classic band, but they were undeniably angry, emphatic, and honest, and relevantly reflected that late ’90s crusty hardcore vibe.

Hogg Arahant cassette

Swirling, bass-forward hardcore out of San Francisco, this brief but intense release by HOGG foregoes blistering speed for driving, circle-pit rhythms. “Stuck” brings some D-beat, and the closing track “Steep” is the longest, most complex, and most interesting in terms of pacing and mood. Overall, it’s a strange mix of head-scratching lyrics, odd audio samples, and gritty punk.

Holehog Dystopian Reality LP

The latest release from Sacramento, California’s HOLEHOG is a rip-roaring blast of punk chaos—a marked influence from UK82 and early street punk with a touch of crust and D-beat makes for an intense listening experience. This platter drips with rage and frustration aimed squarely at the modern world (the dystopian reality, if you will) that we all have to live in and that we all have to survive in. This LP from HOLEHOG is a direct middle finger to the hellscape we currently occupy.

Hysteric Polemix Hysteric Polemix demo cassette

Noisy without being noise music, overtly political without being preachy, Brooklyn’s HYSTERIC POLEMIX’s demo cassette reminds me of CRASS’s Penis Envy as filtered through post-punk. Danceable bass lines abound on this recording while the flanged guitar soars around. “Urtication” and “Saturn Square Uranus” are both sung in Portuguese, which seemingly increases the impassioned vocalizations.

Indre Krig Destroyer EP

Yowza! Here’s the long-awaited EP from Copenhagen, Denmark’s INDRE KRIG. Rip-roaring hardcore punk of the classic early ’80s variety. While wearing their influences on their sleeves, this isn’t a simple clone. Along with the full-tilt, off-the-rails instrumentation, the vocals exude rage and frustration. Everyone is playing their little hearts out on this record with tons of passion, which is how it needs to be done. Highlights on this platter include the title track, “Pinball Eyes,” and “Claustrophobia,” but this record is wall-to-wall with bangers, so throw a dart. Mandatory listening!

Ingrown Gun LP

Classic straightedge metalcore out of Boise, Idaho. More emphasis on the “core” than the “metal,” the way it should have always been. The length of the songs is a unique twist on a genre that’s usually known for its long, drawn-out ballads. Brutally fast at points, transitioning into some of the slowest and lowest breakdowns I’ve heard in years—the kind of breakdown that makes me want to zip up my hoodie and head into the pit. Production is crisp, with everything sounding crystal clear. You can hear every little detail. Very reminiscent of DEADGUY and all the bands you’d hear from Spook City back in the day.

Intensive Care Antibodies LP

Apocalyptic nightmare soundscapes from the mighty INTENSIVE CARE. Expanding further beyond hardcore into beat-driven industrial noise, this collection features a cohesive vocabulary of crumbling electronics, loops, and distorted vocals that sound genuinely unnerving. I stopped taking notes after the woozy swirl of the third track because it all flows so perfectly together, with the closest reference point being BASTARD NOISE with steady rhythms. When the vocals hit, usually as a distorted blast, they offer such a release from the bubbling tension that they hit hard. Some standout passages (although seriously, just listen to the whole thing in sequence) are the eerie strings and pounding of “Closure” that sound like the best parts of the HAXAN CLOAK and the BODY, and a dread-inducing knocking sound that emerges from the audio miasma of “Visible Distance.” This is innovative, menacing noise built from the charred bones of hardcore.

Ivy Green I’m Sure We’re Gonna Make It (Wap Shoo Wap) / Pak ‘m Beet 7″

IVY GREEN was a bunch of teenage punks from the Netherlands. The A-side was written by their singer in 1972 when he was fourteen years old. He got the band together a few years later, forming one of the first Dutch punk bands. “I’m Sure We’re Gonna Make It (Wap Shoo Wap)” was originally released as a one-sided single in 1978. It’s a snarly, attitude-filled joyride. This reissue has a second side—“Pak ‘m Beet” is a wild song on 45 for the first time, and the only one the band ever sang in their native language. This is worth it for that alone, but both songs are fantastic. You need this reissue.

Kaleko Urdangak Bizirik LP

Those who have had the misfortune to read any of my missives here in previous editions know how fond I am of boot boys from the Basque country, and it’s a genuine mystery and delight to me why this particular corner of Europe generates so many great skinhead bands. Here’s another one for you; KALEKO URDANGAK makes anthemic, skinhead rock‘n’roll. Sadly not blessed with a working knowledge of Euskera, I can’t vouch for lyrical content, but in dedicating their record to Basque political prisoners, and releasing an unashamedly Basque record, it’s at least small-p political in nature. Musically, it has a bit more studio polish than I prefer, but the tunes are uplifting enough to penetrate even the most cynical of dickheads (me). Really great stuff.

Keretik Tomorrow’s Worst Enemy cassette

This eight-track cassette is filled with twenty-three minutes of gloomy metalpunk from Helsinki, Finland. Heavy metal-infused punk with sludgy cadences and deep smoky vibes—the vocals are anger-filled and sickly crazy, the guitar riffage is mental, and the bass lines resemble a consistent hammer. All of these aspects combine efficiently to create a vibe of their own, a great effort that achieves a unique sound for the band. ”Vannoharha” and “Pirulukee Pyhää Kirjaa” are my suggested tracks, the first one for its crazy drums and “predator hunt experience” sound, and for the sick bass lines in the latter. Helsinki’s metalpunk is alive and well.

King Bee King Bee LP

With most of the records in the DEAD MOON universe (including the WEEDS/LOLLIPOP SHOPPE, ZIPPER, the RATS, and the RANGE RATS) currently in print or easy to track down, it was high time for a KING BEE reissue. This was the band Fred Cole started just as he started to hear rumblings of this “punk rock” thing that was sounding very familiar to what he had done in the ’60s garage days. Enlisting bass player Mark Sten and drummer Pat Conner, KING BEE quickly came together, opened for the RAMONES at their first Portland gig, put out a three-song 7” on Fred’s Whizeagle Records, and then promptly broke up in 1978. Famously, Fred’s frustrations with keeping a band together would eventually lead to him teaching Toody how to play bass and forming the RATS. But KING BEE had much more up their recorded sleeve than just that 7”, and the remaining twenty songs on this LP were culled from scrapped sessions and live gigs. Musically, KING BEE bridges the gaps between the garage of the WEEDS, the hard rock of ZIPPER, and where the RATS would eventually end up. KING BEE is also notable for being the first band Fred played guitar in, after just being lead vocalist or playing bass in his previous groups, and his raw right-hand rhythm and picked open-chord style already sounds in place here. Songs like “Suicide Mission” have a more funky swamp groove, like if CCR ended up as an obscurity on a Pebbles comp. “Carolina” and “When I Was 21” are almost archetypal DEAD MOON songs ten years early, full of Fred’s lyrical world-weariness. “Castaway” is a perfect moody psych slowburner and with some bigger ’70s-type production “Hot Pistol” would’ve been a world-class denim vest hard-rocker like AC/DC or something. Overall, this is an interesting record in how you can kinda hear Fred figuring out what would eventually become DEAD MOON. Now that we’ve got KING BEE taken care of, I beg on bended knee, please someone reissue Toody’s solo 7” with “Coming on Strong”!

L.O.T.I.O.N. W​.​A​.​R. in the Digital Realm LP

The Valhalla of my sweetest dreams looks something like a dust-filled warehouse in which survivors of the apocalypse mutually exchange their wares, spoils, scavenges, and excesses. At the center of these festivities is a massive circle pit. Spiraling layers of punks, ravers, goths, heshers, and other survivors each dancing their own individual dance. The bass-heavy music filling this sacred hall is L.O.T.I.O.N. MULTINATIONAL CORPORTION’s W.A.R. in the Digital Realm on repeat, ad infinitum. Sure, there are a million reasons to hate this album, from having too many capitalized letters and periods, thereby making it a real bastard to type when searching online, or the insidiously infectious pop dance drivel of “Cybernetic Super Lover,” but somehow I keep coming back to this album again and again, Pavlovian-style. If you have no idea what I’m on about, imagine a talented  Sakevi Yokoyama impersonator singing over a perfectly orchestrated mashup of WHITE ZOMBIE, MINISTRY, DISCHARGE, and ’90s rave music. The good news: this album makes for a great entry point into the world of L.O.T.I.O.N. The bad news: you’ll find out when you play this.

Lamictal Violent Convulsions cassette

Minimal weird garage punk rock from California that reminds me of a merge between DANNY’S FAVORITES and PRISON AFFAIR, but with hardcore cadences and speed. According to the Bandcamp page of the label Goodbye Boozy, we have little information about the one-man band that is Alex Coletto (X-ACTO, GNARLES MANSON). Four tracks in less than four minutes is my kind of synth punk (or should I say synth-hardcore?). Limited to twenty tapes, it’s a must-listen for enthusiasts of synth punk/egg-punk/totally weird minimal punk and its derivatives. Suggested tracks: “Violent Convulsions” (its title exactly depicts the song) and “Aura.. When you are starting to enjoy it, it abruptly ends, like all good things in life.

Lexicon Devoid of Light 12″

I would recommend blasting this one on a Monday morning—which is exactly what I am doing now, perhaps against my better judgement—as, not only will it wake you up efficiently if abruptly, but it will allow you to mentally pogo your way to Christmas and make the week more bearable. Iron Lung has been very busy in 2022 with no less than 27 new releases (which is more than the average number of baths a French person takes in a year), and LEXICON’s LP would be my favourite of the bunch. This Seattle band is seriously ferocious and relentless. The most immediately striking things about this work lie in the contagious energy of the songs, and the level of distortion which one would rightly associate with classic Kyushu noise punk or modern crasher hardcore—saying that LEXICON’s sound is close to ZYANOSE covering GAI in D-CLONE’s practice space is not irrelevant. However, in terms of songwriting and structures, I think LEXICON is significantly closer to USHC than they are to an Osaka distortion fest, especially since the music is crust-free (perhaps bands like NERVESKADE or SEX DWARF should come into the equation). I suppose Devoid of Light would probably appeal to all hardcore crowds, and the implacable intensity and furiousness make up for the work’s relative shortness and lack of really catchy hooks (I’m being picky here). I love the vocals as I think they convey seething anger very well, and they remind me of Jorge’s from the CASUALTIES, which I am sure is not what LEXICON’s singer was going for but there you go. A solid ear-splitting hardcore release with brilliant punk-as-fuck artwork, too. Europe soon?

Long Knife Curb Stomp Earth LP

Crucial release from this Portland band that melds the perfect combination of POISON IDEA and early FUCKED UP to kick major ass. This record shreds from start to finish and adds unusual elements that keep it fresh the whole time. It is straight-up exciting. Opener “Modern Fatigue” starts with a goddamn full church choir that matches the epic, grandiose nature of the songwriting and riffs with divine power. Sounding like a gimmick at first, LONG KNIFE brings back the choir amidst the blitz-fast hardcore to awesome effect. The energy never slows from that moment and often uses intricate crossover riffing, time changes, and full-cheese thrash solos on songs like “Blue Rose” and “The Curse.” The thing is, it rules instead of feeling corny or overproduced. Take “Scum” for instance: Castlevania organs underpin the punk and later solo like there is a bat-winged candelabra on the guitar amp. It sounds like MURDER CITY DEVILS meets, forgive me, GHOST, but it rules. Essential, innovative hardcore that never lets up. If you don’t like this, your idea of punk may differ from mine.

Mala Vista Ruthless & Toothless LP

I don’t know about the rest of you, but power pop has always struck me as one of the most “dangerous” forms of music—even more so than hardcore and the like. Something about a bunch of tatted-up dudes having the confidence to play sugary-sweet rock’n’roll has one hell of an edge. Lovely album from this NYC quartet. Very reminiscent of EXPLODING HEARTS and EDDIE AND THE HOT RODS, especially with the vocals. They’re not reinventing the wheel here, but the songs are catchy as all hell and the guitars sound great with crisp, soaring riffs. Makes me nostalgic for my younger years, wandering the streets of Chicago after a couple drinks.

Massdead Compostable Billionaire Bones cassette

Ecological collapse is on its way. Because of capitalists’ greed and exploitation of natural resources, many species have tragically gone extinct, such as the Bramble Cay melomys, the Spix’s macaw, or the baiji, and the French social security system is bound to be next. One once-thriving species in the ’90s that everyone thought had been extinct since the late ’00s is the legendary dual-vocal cavemen crustcore. The only surviving specimen had long been thought to be MASSGRAVE. However, rumours of several sightings of the species in the wild caught my attention, and when it was confirmed that these beautiful animals had miraculously survived predatory species that had been invading their natural habitat (such as post-punk), it did bring tears to my eyes. With an unoriginal and referential name like MASSDEAD, it is pretty clear that this California unit is nodding toward MASSGRAVE’s furious grinding crustcore. That said, MASSDEAD trimmed off most of the grindcore aspect and, creatively speaking, are more akin to late DISRUPT, late ’80s EXTREME NOISE TERROR, or early VISIONS OF WAR. Compostable Billionaire Bones—a rather sensible green idea—sounds like a seriously pissed charging rhino and brings back a sound that I love dearly and that has sadly fallen out of fashion. The production is devastating and the vocals are adequately over-the-top. The persons responsible for this extreme crust assault have all been involved in bands like STORMCROW, VASTATION, and ABANDON, among many others. This Neanderthal crustcore attack was released on the excellent Blown Out Media, a label that specializes in class raw D-beat, beefy käng, and tasty old-school crust that I am following closely.

The Chisel / Mess split EP

The sound of the new wave of Oi!—the CHISEL and MESS are leaders of the pack, and this is a perfect snapshot of some of the best of what this genre has to offer. MESS fares excellently on their side with “Don’t Look Back” and “I Don’t Like You,” the former proper BLITZ-worship and the latter a catchy belter with some nice BUZZCOCKS-style guitars. The CHISEL’S contributions are fantastic as always with “Keep it Schtum,” a hard one that reminds me of something off their first EP Deconstructive Surgery, and “Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet,” their catchiest and most celebratory since “Not the Only One.” Don’t be a square, shave your head and listen to this!

Monster Squad I Love Punk EP

What a frigging racket…and that’s a good thing to me, baby! A celebration of 25 years in existence, this record is a fun little excursion down memory lane for those familiar with MONSTER SQUAD. Street punk with hardcore tinges played at breakneck speed, sticking around just long enough to not become irritating. Songs taking on Nazis and celebrating brotherhood and unity, it’s all good gear. A fun time for under fifteen minutes.

Moral Panic Validation LP

NYC’s MORAL PANIC returns with a third helping of dirty back alley punk’n’roll. Composed of real scene vets who know their way around an instrument, they belt out twelve doses of  DEVIL DOGS, SUICIDE KING, and HUMPERS-style bash-’em-up trash punk. “Quarantine” is quite the topical rager, and they do an excellent CONSUMERS cover. Hope I get to check ‘em out live, being a Big Rotten Apple resident now myself. Rock on, men.

More Kicks Punch Drunk LP

This trio from London gets me thinking of the JAM right away, without actually sounding like the JAM—something about the cadence of the vocals. It’s super catchy and melodic, which is always a plus for me. And the second track has me thinking about the BUZZCOCKS, which is where most of the remaining tracks end up with me. This is definitely on the pop side of the punk spectrum, but in the end I’d call it power pop. (Don’t ask me to explain the difference between power pop and pop punk, but there is a difference.) Anyway, the record is well-done and these guys are talented and can sing. This won’t be for all you punks, but it will be for some of you. And it is for me.

H.A.R.M. / Mortify split EP

If you like fast hardcore and you’ve been paying attention, then you’ve surely noticed that 625 Thrash really picked up the pace around 2020 or so with recent slammers from NECROPSY ODOR, UNDER ATTACK, VOID BRINGER, SUFFERING MIND, NOOSE SWEAT, and loads more, bringing blast maniacs out from their caves. This split combines H.A.R.M.’s burly Southern California grindcore with buzzsaw Japanese deathgrind from MORTIFY, and it’s precisely what I thought and hoped it would be. Both bands are absolute masters at their craft, and the combination will leave you hungry. Fingers crossed for more grind proliferation from 625 as the decade continues.

 

Mutants Curse of the Easily Amused CD

Fabulous. Growing up in San Francisco, the MUTANTS were a band known to me by name and legend long before I actually heard them or saw them live. At nine years old, my friend’s big brother had flyers of CRIME, AVENGERS, VS., and the MUTANTS on his wall that I would stare at endlessly, sucked in by the garish, disturbing black-and-white images which were better than any cartoon show. While not being my favorite of the pioneer SF punk bands, you have to hand it to the MUTANTS for putting in so much work for that early scene and for just being so much fun! Shit, they even organized that whole Napa State Hospital show with the CRAMPS. This collection of outtakes, remixes, and live tracks is hands down the best MUTANTS release I’ve heard. While I’ve held onto my ancient copy of Fun Terminal, if not just for the cover photos of the long-gone sleazy arcade, the mixes of those songs on that record were always too clean for me. The songs are great though, and it’s criminal that they didn’t make it as big as the GO-GO’S or OINGO BOINGO (tell me “Love Song” isn’t top-ten worthy), but it’s still lacking the seedy grittiness needed for my repeated listenings. There’s lots of amazing pics inside here (would have loved more), as well as tales of their art-school-turned-punk progression into local greatness. There’s no “New Drug” here, but there’s ones you’ve probably never heard before that are just as good or better. So ingest whatever mind-altering chemicals you have, slap this on, and dance! Also make sure to see the Emerald Cities movie if you get the chance. You won’t be sorry.

Mutated Void Roses Forever LP

MUTATED VOID creates brilliant, foggy, and damp hardcore/terror on their debut fifteen-minute LP. To me, this record stands out and is a proven addictive substance. Who is this band? There is an odd and arresting mystery to them. They are a two-piece, right? They worship skateboarding, I think? Could it be that ABSU and DIE KRUEZEN (Cows and Beer-era) birthed an orphan love child who is now lost in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, screaming to be found? Its only hope of surviving in a cold cinder block basement is a headlong caterwauling in the form of Roses Forever? 

Namen Namen Namen Namen CD

Modern-sounding garage rock with an indie twist from the Midwest. Swimming in the same stream as fellow Indianians APACHE DROPOUT and the COWBOYS, NAMEN NAMEN pulls from a broader stylistic range than the former, while being less imaginative than the latter. Fans of TY SEGALL and AUDACITY will find something here to sink their teeth into. The first cut, “The Horrors of Spider Island,” really shines, showcasing the group’s prowess with impressive guitar licks and layered vocal melodies. Unfortunately, the high production value is working against the band’s energy. Maybe record at a shittier studio next time? It’s a matter of taste, but I want music from a garage that’s grimy, dangerous, and on the verge of collapse. All the broken glass here has been too carefully swept up.

Neocons EP cassette

Industrial dance punk from L.A. Skittery tech beats, slogan lyrics, chirping synths, and news clips about war and societal collapse put this somewhere between a DIY MINISTRY and a less brutal L.O.T.I.O.N. These five churning tracks would work on a club floor or a punk dive equally well, and sound like a call-back to the ’80s Wax Trax! sound with their earnest lyrics and everything-to-the-front production. The lyric and delivery of “Who’s laughing now? / That’s what I thought” from “Perleche” would fit a vintage NINE INCH NAILS song. It’s a very particular era and sound to base your band around, but NEOCONS do it well. Check it out if you’re pissed but still wanna dance.

Norcos y Horchata Forever Disheveled LP

A perfect combination garage punk, gruff Oi!, and power pop, NORCOS Y HORCHATA sound bizarrely like a band that would come from Detroit (they do)—I don’t really know why I say that and I have no justification for it, but I’m gonna stick by it. What if the EPOXIES ditched the keyboard and wrote a stripped-down BAR STOOL PREACHERS record? Well, I guess I would think they were from Detroit. These songs are gonna get stuck in your head whether you like them or not. I warned you. 

Nosferatu Society’s Bastard cassette

“Energy” would be a fitting one-word description of this demo. Like bullets being fired from an AK-47, the eleven tracks that make up this ferocious piece of music come at you savagely and without mercy. A chaotic and frantic assault of hardcore to the senses, picking up where VOID left off and paying homage to the masters of hardcore. This will make your blood boil.

O.R.C. Feeling Safe cassette

This five-track cassette was released by Dial Club from Japan (Katakatou Punk Collective) and consists of lo-fi Melbourne punk directly from a bedroom. Imagine vocals like an ’80s telephone conversation on a submarine, mixed with heavily-layered tasty riffs. This is eggy garage punk, and it could get monotonous—for fans of PRISON AFFAIR, as the heavy synths are companions with the diminutive, distorted guitars. Recommended if you are into lo-fi bedroom creatures and frantically recorded cassette tapes. Suggested tracks: “Self-Proclaimed Narcissist” and “Too Much Fun.”

Omega Tribe New Peace Movement CD

I wanted to like this album. I mean, I really wanted to like this album. No Love Lost and Angry Songs are in my personal music archives for a reason. I gotta say though, I did not care for this album. “Ain’t Gonna Let Em” is a decent song, and there are moments on the album that reminded me of things like TOM ROBINSON BAND, CHUMBAWAMBA, and even early BOWIE. However, there are not many “angry songs” on this album, and instead a bunch of hippy-dippy songs. I’m serious, like “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In”-type stuff. This is absolutely not my bag of grass.

Palánta Palánta demo cassette

PALÁNTA plays everything. Such a weird band with such a weird release, presenting a broad musical spectrum from egg-ish garage punk through Krautrock and experimental prog to hardcore. If you think about an unusual punk record and then multiply it by two, you will get close to what is happening on this tape. The vocals sound at least doubled and have the effect of coming from everywhere, while the lyrics are hard to understand, which makes it seem even more like otherworldly yells from a strange cosmos. It is rather an experimental album and got into my scope due to all the members playing in a half-dozen punk and hardcore bands from Budapest (UNIT 731, TUNGA PENETRÁNS, ÉSZLELÉS, BALTA, UNHOLY SATIVA), yet it has the “fuck you” edge and the conflict that turns rock music into punk music. Keyboards added to the classic band lineup already introduces some different possibilities, then they just change styles and are brave to not make any sense within their songs. Meanwhile, it feels consciously free, with each element organically grabbing each other and creating the complete picture. Also, it’s fun and easy to listen to—the tape has great dynamics and there is nothing challenging. It does not mean I like the release, because it is definitely not up my alley, but I could still blast it without any resistance several times in a row while typing all this in. If you are looking for a record that stretches the definition of punk, one that has multiple layers which are as exciting to be discovered as going through a sonic puzzle, and if you are into not chaotic but head-spinning, mind-bending music, then PALÁNTA just wrote an album for you.

Berosszulás / Parasite Dreams split LP

Split LP from two Central European bands hailing from Budapest and Vienna. BEROSSZULÁS (“toxic deterioration”) plays rolling pogo-beat punk that always reminded me of KURO mixed with a lot of hooks that are rather familiar from early hardcore nervous-teenager breakdowns—their songs are both buzzing and stomping. They are not falling apart anywhere at all; rather, they create and maintain a great tension that is varied with witty stretched-out solos, screaming string bends, and well-placed changes which result in a playful bounce. It’s music to shake your fist and lose your mind. Sonically, everything is identifiable—the base of the music might be reminiscent of basement raw black metal elements but it is not a cacophonic sonic warfare, you can hear the bass drawing its own territory with unusual ideas, and the few-note guitar riffs are neither drowning in overdrive, although they do not spare distortion. The whole record has a great momentum, it’s pushed all the way through by the anger of the band. BEROSSZULÁS passes through different styles and tastefully collects from each what they like to hear the most, yet it does not turn them into a showcase of unmatching gimmicks. What are they, then? A great hardcore band. On the other hand, PARASITE DREAMS from Vienna are closer to the already mentioned raw black metal that is basically a punk sort of aesthetic. In their songs, the “sounds coming from next door” effect (which blocks the in-your-face power of the tracks) and the noticeably different recording quality compared to the other side of the record both break the cohesion of the split. They put more effort into creating an atmosphere, building it with intros, outros, and extended tracks where the guitar keeps playing while the drums rest. Mostly mid-tempo, sometimes even slower, each song is built from a catchy primitive riff and very minimalist drums. The vocals change between distant screams and monotone speak-singing. It’s interesting when they turn to a rather atmospheric sound that does not recall tree-hugging metal but vicious post-punk. The big dilemma here is how much a different mixing would butcher their core idea. On the other hand, they are determined to have everything as they imagined and that should be respected. In this current age, attention is at stake, so listening to PARASITE DREAMS could be a good challenge to train your focus, because when attention is paid they are pretty entertaining, but they also easily slip into being background noise. Without the usual dilemma of splits, this is a great record—if you like ugly, nasty hardcore, then check it out.

Pat and the Pissers Soil cassette

You might be surprised to learn that Indianapolis has a pretty thriving punk scene. It certainly caught me off guard, and I’ve been living here since 2019. Had you asked me back then, I would have told you that Bloomington (not quite an hour away) was the more happening punk town. I’m pretty sure I would have been right, too. But there were a handful of bands in Indy starting up around that time, including PAT AND THE PISSERS, and slowly but surely a scene seems to have sprung up around them. All of a sudden, tons of new local bands are filling up bills, packing out venues, and actually enticing cool out-of-town acts to swing through. The scene skews hardcore, and PAT AND THE PISSERS are predominantly a hardcore band. But if you give this release a listen (and you should!), you’ll find that it’s not all that straightforward. The twelve songs on this cassette are a hodgepodge of hardcore sounds—I’m hearing snatches of early SoCal hardcore, I Against I BAD BRAINS, and, like, late ’80s Revalation Records—and brattier punk. On the hardcore end of things, you get songs like “Out of Style,” which sounds like a mash-up of CIRCLE JERKS and JUDGE, or “Konner,” which could have been pulled off LAFFING GAS’s last LP. While on the punker side, you get tracks like “Outsourcing”, which is more of a straightforward start/stop sneering punk affair (with sporadic hair metal leads!), or “Working Wage,” which sounds like a less sing-songy SAINTS, with its bratty talk-sung vocals. I think things could be tightened up a bit here and there, and these disparate sounds could be woven together a little more seamlessly, but overall I think these are pretty cool tunes. Excited to see what they do next!

Phil & the Tiles Health/Body EP

Of course PHIL & THE TILES are from Naarm (so-called “Melbourne”). The debut EP from this six-piece(!!) is like a Stars on 45-style romp through the city’s 21st century musical underground, from jaunty janglers like TERRY and PRIMO!, to smart-assed neo-FALL twang (the SHIFTERS, most obviously), to TOTAL CONTROL/CONSTANT MONGREL downer punk…the TILES are young enough to cite teenage show-going experiences seeing bands like EDDY CURRENT SUPPRESSION RING as formative influences, and their mashup of ragged garage and pointed post-punk definitely feels like a Gen Z throwback to that particular moment in time (like, 2006–2010). “Health/Body” starts out with some jabbing, single-note guitar over a tumbling tom-heavy rhythm before bursting into a frantic synth punk stomp with dueling male/female vocals like an Aussie ANGRY ANGLES, while the janky keyboard buzz and shambolic motorik groove of “Elixir” is clearly chasing after the UV RACE. On the B-side, “Nun’s Dream” is a modern OZ DIY reboot of the unabashed pop songs that Brix Smith brought to the mid-’80s FALL table (think “Cruiser’s Creek,” “2×4,” “Shoulder Pads,” etc.), and “Trepanation” could almost be an early Flying Nun band gone goth, with steady tambourine shake, gauzy, dissolving synth, chorused-out guitar, and lyrics wallowing in depths of human misery that would put the SMITHS to shame (“I want to vomit so I don’t have to cry anymore”). I can only imagine how much ground they’ll cover if they follow this thing up with a full LP…

Pulso Enfrentamiento Total LP

Enfrentamiento Total is the newest LP from Barcelona’s PULSO (previously known as APPRAISE). The sound is reminiscent of the classic youth crew approach of bands like YOUTH OF TODAY, IN MY EYES, and MOUTHPIECE, so you should know exactly what you’re getting from this one. Plenty of stompy and moshy parts to get your rocks off to while still remaining fast and catchy. Solid stuff! If you’re into youth crew, you can certainly do a lot worse.

R.M.F.C. Access / Air Conditioning 7″

New two-song 7” from this Aussie wailer. “Access” is an earworm of jam, with a twangy twelve-string guitar riff surfing atop militant drum rolls that aren’t too stiff. “Air Conditioner” is a cover of obscure UK post-punks the LILLETTES. A bite-sized morsel of home-recorded solo-core, priming us for a future LP in ’23.

Rarito Edición Especial Para Zurdos LP

Some of my favorite power pop of all time has come from Spain. This one starts off in super melodic fashion and features male and female vocals, which I’m a total sucker for. All the songs are in Spanish, which I quite enjoy. It sometimes bugs me that bands from non-English-speaking countries feel compelled to sing in English. Anyway, this is nicely done. The songs are on the shorter side, which is always good for my attention span. Mid-tempo, sometimes a little faster, and melodic always works for me. It also seems these guys might be a duo. I’ve got a soft spot in my heart for duos.

Randy Savages / Razor Kids split EP

Split EPs are a funny thing to me. I’m always trying to figure out how or why someone decided that the two bands should be on the same record. Holds true for this one. Both bands deliver two winners each, but I’m scratching my head trying to figure out why they’re on the same record. RANDY SAVAGES (UK) bring us two rockers that are heavy on the power pop and on the rock’n’roll. Mid-tempo and super catchy, I immediately thought of the REDUCERS, a band I listened to back in the ’80s/’90s. RAZOR KIDS (Portugal) also bring it, with two very different cuts. Musically, track one sounds like it could have been a long-lost RAMONES cut. The competing male/female vocals transform it into something completely different. And their second cut has a herky-jerkiness that reminds me of KLEENEX. Two very different songs. And two very different bands, but I’m not going to complain when someone gives me a 7” record that has four winners on it. 

Kill Your Idols / Rule Them All split EP

I have been aware of KILL YOUR IDOLS for a long time and have a handful of their past releases—in fact, they all happen to be splits. I always enjoyed the other bands on those a bit more, but that is not the case here. The KILL YOUR IDOLS songs are just a bit more up my alley this time around. I do find it a bit ironic that their song “Simple, Short, and Fast” clocks in at over three minutes. This is my first time hearing RULE THEM ALL, and i don’t know, man. It sounds like H20 on Quaaludes. It’s not bad, but it seems like it should be faster and the vocals seem subdued. I’d definitely give them another shot though, because like I said, it’s not bad…just might be one of those “takes a minute to grow on you” deals.

Scan EP2 cassette

This is a new D-beat outfit from Austin, TX that plays on the brighter, cyberpunk side, with harsh vocals like Digital Evil in Your Life-era S.D.S., and sort of EXIL-style hardcore in speed and pitch. This is not very dark or dismal, but it rips hard—I could compare to some other contemporaries too, like NERVOUS SS of Macedonia or RAT CAGE of the UK whose split was one of my favorite records last year, and if a record could have three sides, this tape would bridge those two bands swimmingly. There is plenty of distortion on the mic here and the cymbals smash. I would categorize this on the hardcore punk side of things rather than raw D-beat noise. The guitar tones are at times spacey. I currently don’t have a physical version of this, but I bet that would sound even heavier. There is one remaining copy on their Bandcamp as I’m writing this, featuring a shit photo that would look better in real life, so someone grab it now if you can!

Shitshow Epic EP

Debut EP from Hamburg, Germany’s SHITSHOW with a five-song flurry, only one track of which times out after two minutes. This is mean, in-your-face, and to-the-point, with songs like “Kill” that blare out “No feet for the right wing / They kill, kill, kill!,” and “Cellphone Monkey” that shouts “Your best friend / Is just a machine, yeah!” Female vocalist, anger with a purpose, and catchy tracks? I’m in.

Shove Shove 2 EP

Fucking great noisy, classic Melbourne-style punk that could easily be a bonus track on the Flowers in the Dustbin comp. Equal parts SUICIDE SQUAD, GASH, VICTIMS, and modern contemporaries like AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS. Fucked-up and mean. Every song is great except for the slightly unnecessary remix of the killer opener “Death Admin Machine.” Buy immediately.

Sick Thoughts Heaven is No Fun LP

Drew Owen has long since proven himself as one of the best songwriters of die-hard, old school rock‘n’roll. With this newest LP, he hasn’t just one-upped himself, he’s raised the bar on the whole fucking game. This record is eclectic, like a high-speed tour through everything that makes punk and rock music important to this day in under 30 minutes. From the straight-ahead nihilism of the opener “I Hate You,” through the anthemically evil “Mother, I Love Satan,” Owen demonstrates a mastery of genre and focus of vision that just hits in your bones. My personal favorite track, “EMP,” is the most evil blast of punk to hit my spine in years. It tips its hat to the mutoid malevolence of SACCHARINE TRUST’s Paganicons, while dragging it into the horrible pre-apocalypse we currently live in. I always thought of SICK THOUGHTS’ self-titled record as the gold standard of sneering, evil rock‘n’roll, but this unlucky collection of thirteen cuts handily clears that record. We’re in a new age of evil punk, and there’s even the almost tear-inducing “Someone I Can Talk To” love song(?) to offer a welcome depth to the whole affair. It’s a sort of victory lap within a triumphant record that belongs in the canon of great fucking rock records.

JFA / Sin 34 split EP reissue

This reissued relic is quite amazing. Both bands’ tracks are taken from the Sudden Death compilation EP from 1982 released on Smoke Seven Records featuring bands like MORAL DECAY, CRANKSHAFT, the SINS, REDD KROSS, DEATH YOUTH, and more—according to the timeline, these may be JFA and SIN 34’s earliest and/or first recordings. Surf punks from Arizona mixed with hardcore punks from Santa Monica, this split is still vital today, filled with urgent youth screams for politics, chaos, and fun. For JFA’s part, we can talk about revolutionary guitars, fast-paced screams, an erratic voice, and low reverb with surf punk influences and new wave punk. SIN 34 delivers good sludgy cadences, anthemic and energetic female vocals, and decadence-evoking palm-muted guitars. A merge between new wave punks introducing space sounds with a resemblance to surf rock and the most classic US hardcore punk, with referents worldwide during the ’81–84 era. A must-listen for lovers of skate punk and classic US hardcore.

Snuffed Coping Human Waste LP

Chicago’s SNUFFED play crunchy and mean Midwestern hardcore on their LP Coping Human Waste, released earlier this year on Another City Records. With Andy Nelson of WEEKEND NACHOS and HARMS WAY on recording duties, SNUFFED delivers a nice mix of fast punk and riffy hardcore in the vein of URBAN WASTE and the FLEX, showcased best on tracks “Pesticide” and “Flock.” The blink-and-you’ll-miss-it “If You Resent” is the shortest track here, a traditional one minute as opposed to the rest which clock in at about the two-and-a-half-minute mark. It’s unusual for this style, but it’s refreshing and makes repeated listens essential.

Sooks Demo 22 cassette

Punk from Perth? Sign me up, always! This is righteous and rage-filled, with densely-penned and poetic lyrics delivered masterfully by vocalist Ange. There is an intimacy only harder driven home by the fearsome playing, especially on tracks like “Integrity” with perfect turns of phrase like “I’m a chronic committer, but I want to quit you.” While everything feels incredibly personal, there is a political fire in this band’s belly as well, serving rallying cries for bodily autonomy and against neoliberalism, crypto, and the climate crisis, while always tying it back to the heart. Overall, this cassette feels like an above-average, sophisticated exploration of big world ideas through a small and focused lens. The results are dizzyingly good.

Stiphnoyds Afraid of the Russians EP reissue

A limited-run reissue of these first-wave Portland punkers’ sole release. Produced by Greg Sage, you can definitely hear the WIPERS influence in the thick, fuzzy guitar tone and power chord-charged songs. Ramalama riffs and rants about Russia, it should be an instant grab for the KBD collectors out there.

Strach Strach LP

STRACH hails from Berlin, Germany and plays metallic anarcho hardcore. Elements of stenchcore combine with brutal breakdowns to make this album a pummeling music experience. Heavy music and lyrical content throughout the entirety of this album will stoke the fires of your discontent. Fans of MURDERESS and FATUM take note, this album is a must-have. The song “I Shit on Your Country” pretty much says everything you need to know.

Street Diamonds Scenester Citizens EP

Think American hardcore that’s trying to harness the snarky political wit that made the ’80s timeless. Not saying it works (also not saying it doesn’t), but the gruff melodic vocals and in-your-face riffs take me to a place I haven’t been for a while. If M.O.T.O. made a Southern Californian hardcore record, it might sound like STREET DIAMONDS.

Suburban Resistance SRIII: Songs of the Dead LP

Melodic punk out of Las Vegas with strong vibes of NOFX, ALL, and BAD RELIGION. Some tracks veer more toward pop punk, while others more toward hard rock. Still, there are some with more of an edge, such as “Resist.” With anthemic lyrics like “Reject false divisions, they’re used to restrict you / Refuse to tolerate processed hate / Remember while you still exist / You can’t be brought down as long as you resist,” SUBURBAN RESISTANCE could be just straight-ahead punk, but this LP shows their range of interests, influences, and ambitions. There’s something for everyone here.

Force Majeure / Tchernobyl split EP

This split has me wondering if I should shave my head. Each band offers up two tracks of hard-charging, tough-as-nails Oi! sung in French. Montreal’s FORCE MAJEURE tread the more traditional path of the two. From the razor-sharp jangly guitars and prominent walking basslines, to the clenched hi-hat drumming—this just ticks all the right boxes. Expectedly, the vocals are gruff and forceful, with just a hint of tunefulness. These lads would fit nicely on a bill with SQUELETTE or REĆIDIVE. Hailing from Paris, TCHERNOBYL pounds the pavement with boots of a darker shade. Chorus-drenched guitars lend atmosphere to what might be described best as “Oi! for a rainy day.” Building on the legacy of CAMERA SILENS, TCHERNOBYL are dour and melancholic in the best possible way, à la SYNDROME 81. There’s not a dull moment on either side of this record. Time to lace up and call the barber.

Tension Span The Future Died Yesterday LP

Debut LP from this pandemic collaboration featuring members of NEUROSIS and DYSTOPIA, among others. It won’t be a surprise to fans of those bands, but TENSION SPAN pulls from punk, goth-leaning darkness, metal, and straightforward hard rock to deliver a collection that expresses the frustration and exhaustion of the difficult last few years. The production sounds cavernous and expensive, like a big-budget rock record that captures every echo and atmospheric swirl. “Cracked Society” features chanted backing gang vocals that shroud its propulsive beat in dread. “The Crate Song” has NWOBHM low-end chug with a deliberate, dirge-y pace that sounds like the slower moments on recent NAPALM DEATH records. Themes of media manipulation, evangelical attacks on science, and the virus itself are captured in the tracks “Covered in His Blood” and “I Can’t Stop This Process” that play out like apocalyptic street preacher sound collages. News clips are looped and layered over punk riffs, creating a grim snapshot of America’s underbelly. The clear jaw-dropping standout is the title track that grows from a buzzy synth line into a multilayered groove of chants, angry punk scorn, and snaky guitar. It shimmers and rages, shaking with defiance. Consider it a dystopian time capsule or a harbinger; this is a dense, knotty, heavy guitar record, effective as it is disheartening.

The Battlebeats You Don’t Know Me EP

This EP is a crusher, there isn’t anything that doesn’t work for me on this. Super catchy, hard and straightforward garage. Zero filler. You Don’t Know Me brings a lot of the RIP OFFS, the GORIES, and the DEVIL DOGS to mind. BATTLEBEATS are a three-piece band who hail from the verdant mountain city of Bandung, West Java. They have been at it for a seemingly brief period, which makes listening to this punky volcanic blast that much more powerful and fun. May they continue to destroy.

The Courettes Back in Mono LP

I can’t lie: aesthetically, I was dead-set on hating this. Another garage duo, and outfits calling back to the go-go era and Brando’s The Wild One get-up that so many rocker dudes can’t hang up in the closet. But yeah, okay, sure, that’s just the record jacket. And my mom always taught me…you know. Truthfully, this album is a pleasure. Great crackling and cavernous production that gives some edge to its sprawling harmonies and baroquely early ’60s pop structures. These two Danes clearly have no interest in leaving the past where it is, and while those types of outright recreations can often feel like forgeries, you just can’t call a good song bad. And these are good goddamn songs. Written with intention and educated ears, played to hip-swinging perfection. There’s even a sort of NANCY SINATRA by way of ’60s spy spoof soundtrack number (“Until You’re Mine”) that just works. I’m almost irritated, but ultimately just happy to see someone out there pulling off this sound without sounding precious.

The Ejector Seats Brand New Catastrophe LP

Many songs on Brand New Catastrophe seem out-of-tune at first, but soon roll out a complementary riff and presto! It’s an earworm! It’s a gimmick, but a good one. Unfortunately, other gimmicks age poorly: I think the vox-thru-a-megaphone move peaked by 2002, and just because you can overlay a riff with a keyboard mimic (think My Brain Hurts-era SCREECHING WEASEL) doesn’t mean you should. But sometimes all these extra bells and whistles provide a nice kick, like an espresso shot in your coffee, which is good enough for me.

The High Stride Something to Explain EP

I appreciate a band that has its own sound and doesn’t want to be pigeonholed into one particular genre. I don’t always like them, but I appreciate what they’re trying to do. In this case, I actually do like the band, despite the fact that they borrow from genres that I’m not typically drawn to. At its core, this is rock’n’roll. But it’s delivered at a quick enough tempo that leaves most rock music in the dust. It’s got a bluesy element that I normally wouldn’t like. When I hear a harmonica, I typically run for the doors. But this one is different for some reason. It’s also got a certain ’60s feel to it, without sounding like it’s from the ’60s. This is definitely worth checking out.

The Rabbits The Rabbits LP

Sometimes the most genuinely out-there sounds are made at the hands of musicians who think they’re playing it straight—Syoichi Miyazawa, the creative force behind Tokyo’s the RABBITS, apparently had little contact with the vibrant underground punk and experimental scenes surrounding him in late ’70s/early ’80s Japan, starting out as an acoustic singer/songwriter before his vision independently evolved into the warped, jagged free-punk mindfuck on display here. Outside of a handful of flexi appearances, this is the first RABBITS material on vinyl, collecting tracks from two self-released cassettes (1983’s X1(X) and 1984’s Winter Songs) recorded with a cast of collaborators that Miyazawa tried to mold according to his exacting, freaky aesthetic. If there’s connections to be drawn between the RABBITS’ caustic art-splatter and various noisenik antecedents, it’s not because Miyazawa was in any way influenced by or even aware of any them, which only makes the resulting racket even more surreal—“Bāchan No Bājin de Ittemiyou” is a fiery meltdown of desperate wails, looping, cavernous bass, and sheet metal guitar clang slathered in blown-speaker fuzz, crawling through the debris left behind by Japanese no wave practitioners like FRICTION and PABLO PICASSO; the menacing post-punk grind and anguished, echoing vocals of “Bye Bye” and “Yasai” twist into distorted funhouse mirror reflections of PUBLIC IMAGE LIMITED’s Metal Box; “Seiteki Ningen” is a pounding, frayed-nerve industrial punk nightmare that could unsettle early CHROME. I wouldn’t bother listening to other punk bands either if I was producing something this wild…

The Ratchet Boys Live From 1997–2001 LP

Pretty unreal collection of recordings from a DC ska troupe I had never heard of. Because I don’t pay attention to ska. Like…at all. But if the RATCHET BOYS are any indication, then that’s my fucking loss, because if you can’t get down to “Farragut North,” then I don’t even know what can help you—plus, “I’m gonna be picking up asses after the show” might be the best mosh call in history. Full horn section and a constant swing, this shit transcends your dislike (or fear…?) of ska and turns your life into a working class party. Released on CD twenty years ago, this LP is a tribute to their vocalist who passed away in 2007. Normally reviewers will say things like “if you’re into that sort of thing…,” but this reviewer is gonna suggest that this recording will win you over even if you aren’t.

The Senders All Killer No Filler (1977–2001) CD

The SENDERS were the vehicle of Philippe Marcade, who came from Paris, eventually ended up in New York City in 1975, and quickly fell smack into the center of the pioneering Manhattan punk scene. He quickly met, drank, and played with all the heavy-hitters, including Johnny Thunders who plays on seven unreleased live tracks here. He was even asked on to the ill-fated Thunders/Wayne Kramer GANG WAR project. Phil ended up writing a book full of these tales, which is sure to be fascinating. Unfortunately, the music here is just middle-of-the-road, blues-based bar rock, maybe similar to a less interesting BLASTERS or DEL-LORDS. The Johnny Thunders tracks are the most interesting here, but it’s still not punk at all and doesn’t have any kind of real edge or danger. The songs are from a vast time period but seem to flow together without losing any cohesiveness, if that means anything. Maybe a great history piece at best. I have great respect for my elders, but could stand to live without hearing this one.

The Wirms Live at the Lamplighter Lounge cassette

Not too fast, not too loud punk rawk in what sounds like a very crappy bar (not a complaint). The singer gives us a raspy yowl and a Jello warble while playing US ’76–79-style riffs with most of the flair scooped out. Much like cover song records, I just don’t think live albums are necessary. This one does not capture the qualities which make the band’s demo and other releases a lot of fun.

Todd Killings & the Contracts (I’ve) Got Your Contract EP

Thanks to TODD KILLINGS & THE CONTRACTS, I’m now aware of the proud Vancouver punk pastime of “fuck bands,” or bands with members swapping instruments and opening for themselves at shows, playing joke songs that were more than occasionally actually very good. You see, at the time, the scene was so small that there weren’t enough bands to play opening slots at shows. Thus, the “fuck band” was born. Inspired by this tradition, (I’ve) Got Your Contract was recorded by Josh and Pat of CHAIN WHIP during COVID lockdown with minimal takes to keep it raw, and it sounds great. You can clearly hear the pent-up energy of two punks having a good time without giving themselves many restraints. Fun and rowdy pogo-punk, for fans of Killed By Death comps and rare punk 45s, this will be a fun discovery for crate diggers in the future.

Proton / Total Sham split cassette

These two Missouri bands make it hard to pick a favorite on this sharp, short split tape. On the A-side, PROTON from the city of Columbia unleashes their brutal brand of D-beat hardcore. A lo-fi bludgeoning that cranks the speed and ferocity of the traditional DISCHARGE formula up to “holy shit” levels, it’s raw, but not noise, keeping it squarely in punk territory and never crossing into metal, which is kinda perfect. These three pounding jams make a great appetizer for indulging in their scorching Imminent Collapse EP from earlier this year and 2021’s Men Behind the Sun cassette. Next is Kansas City’s TOTAL SHAM, and god, do they rule. Refreshing like an ice-cold 22oz of Olde English, I tell ya. Just a pure early hardcore sound, like Group Sex-era CIRCLE JERKS spiked with Pick Your King-era POISON IDEA and delivered with a palpable practice spot ambiance. Their tunes on this tape are addictive little rippers that get my head bobbing involuntarily every time, and their full length Life as a Total Sham cassette is an instant classic, offering nine more killer songs where these came from. This is all some of the coolest stuff I’ve heard in a while, and if you’ve caught me spazzing out behind the wheel of my car lately, these bands are the likely culprits.

Traps PS Prim Dicer LP

This Los Angeles act has been kicking around for over a decade at this point, and this LP is their ninth release. Really strong aesthetic on these guys’ releases, by the way! Each features some fairly minimalist collage art surrounded by a thick black band with the group and release names written in white script. Makes for a very striking Bandcamp page! Anyway, this is the first I’ve heard of them. They bill themselves as a funk band, which—look, I get it. But on a scale with the METERS on one end and, like, FRANZ FERDINAND on the other, these dudes will have you considering an extension of that scale. To be fair, there is some funk in the mix. Of the sixteen songs on the record, you’re getting some MINUTEMEN here or some CONTORTIONS there, but for the most part I’d describe this as math rock. Very 2002-ish! It’s not bad, I just wish the tunes were as remarkable as these record covers.

Trenchraid Demo 2022 cassette

This is the kind of hardcore punk that I wake up for on a daily basis. Between the breakneck guitar work and the raw (not tough guy) vocals, this cassette rips! TRENCHRAID borrows from classic D-beat, but also manages to mix in enough old-school hardcore to create a hybrid that is somewhere between ANTI CIMEX and YOUTH OF TODAY. Plenty of catchy sing-alongs all backed with high-powered instrumentation make TRENCHRAID a perfect soundtrack for your high-adrenaline activities.

Ugly Shadows Ugly Shadows cassette

Initially released back in 2015, this is a more recent reissue of this EP by Istanbul, Turkey’s UGLY SHADOWS. This is fantastic! Very anthemic political punk with some welcome touches of gothic punk/deathrock—it’s pretty reminiscent of the early UK82 and anarcho-punk bands of the ’80s, with its own dark flavors chucked into the mix. This EP has been reissued on cassette by A World Divided Tapes and I highly recommend that you pick one up!

Unit 731 Unit 731 cassette

UNIT 731 is a fairly new band from the Budapest scene—this release is their second, following a demo made two years ago. They play no-fuss fast hardcore with enough distortion and zero bullshit, although it is not easy to pin them to a certain style. TOTALITÄR might be the closest reference with the on-point riffs, but UNIT 731 is not rushed to neckbreak speed, remaining urgent in a more human way. Their music has the capability to do so, yet it is not blasting out from the speakers, rather inviting the listener in. It is sort of rootless hardcore, not inventive but lacking any recycled influences. I guess it has to do with their lyrics and how they are performed, since those reach beyond the few dramatic lines screamed at the top of the singer’s lungs and rather introduce a more analytic approach, although they could get lost in translation and then you’d only hear a constant gruff shouting that could even remind you of aggro, street-punk-influenced hardcore vocals. Yet for me, the lyrical content conflicts with the simple music, but the opposite elements also support each other since both feel thoughtful. This might sound alarming, but they are not a smart-ass hardcore band, rather a daring one that does not aim for anything beyond expressing their current state of mind. Does contemporary punk need to be a public stunt, does it need to maximize its core feature? If so, then these Hungarian kids do not go with the mainstream. Neither do hyped bands who do not impress me as much. Meanwhile, I consider UNIT 731 to be a great band who wrote an awesome record and would not be out of line from most contemporary hardcore releases. The whole world might not need to listen to UNIT 731, but if each scene had at least one band like them, then international punk would be better.

Utopie Seconde Figure 12″

Had the pleasure of booking a show for UTOPIE a while ago in this tiny vegan restaurant, and they completely tore the place apart. Such a powerful band that delivers both in a live setting and on wax. The best way to describe the sound that this French powerhouse makes is “cold punk.” The mix perfectly encapsulates what this band is capable of. A cold night walk home comes to mind when listening to these tracks, a mixture of post-punk, dark punk, and even a bit of Oi!  Includes a great adaptation of “Ghost Town” by the SPECIALS, here renamed “Ville Fantôme.” A must for late-night trips.

Verrat Zeiten der Leere LP

VERRAT is pissed-off at the state of things. The world is falling apart, the populace is in despair, and these Austrian crust punks spend about a third of their album yelling at us about it in English and the rest in their native German tongue. This is certainly a standout recent album in the genre. The whole band operates like a furious machine, taking just enough influence from black metal guitars and death metal vocals to make their own aggressive crust punk sound. The vocalist, Emil, puts up fierce competition against the guitars and both end up winning. There is no weak point or rest break on this album as it blasts straight at you for just over half an hour before letting us reflect in terror during the meditative and desperate instrumental outro. “Jahre Dunkler Verse” and “A Toxic Whole” are tracks that especially stand out. It can be hard to tell if this album is meant to be a wake-up call or just a declaration that there’s no hope left. It will likely take more than a few listens for the listener to make their own determination.

Violent Way Bow to None LP

Earnestness isn’t an easy look to pull off, but VIOLENT WAY from Buffalo, NY wears it well. On Bow to None, lead singer Nick Terlecky and the boys encapsulate their world neatly and wrap it in a bow. Lyrically, it’s all about loyalty, respect, and not taking any shit. Sonically, these guys are the real deal and have clearly done their homework. On opener “We Don’t Need You,” VIOLENT WAY channels the spirit of ’82 flawlessly. If you’re into Oi! classics from the likes of COMBAT 84, the LAST RESORT, and TEMPLARS, you will find lots to be happy about here. Standouts include anthemic title track “Bow to None,” “Our Stand” (featuring a cameo from Cal of the CHISEL) ,and instrumental “VWS”. No frills, no fuss, just the good shit.

Wasteland Want Not EP reissue

Reissuing the debut EP from 1970s oddballs WASTELAND, this 7” digs up a trio of forgotten pop curiosities. The opening “Ono,” a quirky and jerky number in the spirit of the BUZZCOCKS, is the punkiest of the lot, with a sound not unlike that of “Ride The Wild”-era DESCENDENTS. “Bombsite Baby” is a mellow tune that mixes the jangling sensibilities of the TELEVISION PERSONALITIES with the rocking flourish of EDDIE AND THE HOT RODS. Finally, “Radio Nation Burns” caps off the record with five minutes of bluesy, folky, and artsy weirdo rock. It’s a noble effort of preservation on behalf of the good people at Breakout Records, but this one’s best suited for those who are thirsty for every last drop of ‘77-adjacent hydration.

Watermelon Watermelon demo cassette

WATERMELON is a snappy three-piece from Chicago playing one-and-a-half-minute knuckle sandwiches on their 2021 demo cassette. Sonically, there’s a heavy RAMONES influence, but also a dash of EATER and MISFITS. What really stands out are the vocals, a girl-gang chant that reminds me of Holly Golightly and THEE HEADCOATEES. Standouts “Shithead” and “I’m So Happy” both sound like they’ll be on punk comps someday. Good stuff!

Wedding Songs Late July cassette

Debut release from Koblenz, Germany from the duo Simon and Dominik, known as WEDDING SONGS. While they hail from thousands of miles away, this music is enchanted by some American West twang and mystique, with lots of spoken word and bluesy/country licks, spooked up by post-punk dreariness. It’s as if JOHN CALE made a country deathrock group with the BLASTERS as the backing band. This 2021 release has been followed by their debut LP this year, Hard to Find, which I look forward to hearing. Over all, this is a unique take on the genre, worth the three-song listen.

Why Bother? Lacerated Nights LP

High-energy, synth-laced melodic punk from Iowa. They sound like the SPITS, but that’s not a bad thing. Classic punk chord progressions, catchy, slightly-detached vocals, and clean keyboard tones to hold everything in place. “Bent Spoon Blues” is a pop treasure, as much new wave as punk. “Clouds” slows down and veers into post-punk with a buzzing electronic cloud circling a moody four-note guitar pattern. “Oh Jodi” is a garage punk murder ballad from the perspective of a male killer watching news reports about his female victim. Creepsville. Similarly, “The Stalker” is from a stalker’s point of view and has lines like, “Do you know I can see you? / Do you know that I’m there? / I make sure that you’re alone / I breathe heavy as you blow dry your hair,” ending with the speaker entering his victim’s room with a rope. I like the record overall, but the lyrics of those two tracks will probably prevent a future listen.

Worshiper To Binge and Purge in LA cassette

This one is heavy for all of the right and all of the wrong reasons. Active in the 2000s, Philadelphia’s WORSHIPER created a misanthropic cacophony that would make fans of UNSANE, 16, and BUZZOV•EN swoon, and offer a wake-up jab to fans of UOA, SLEEPING BODY, and other pillars of ’90s DIY discordance. Fronted by Mike Parry’s vocals that sound like rusty razor blades desperately trying to saw through stone walls, their controlled chaos translates to the recorded medium in a way that makes it clear you’re only getting a small taste of how massive and overwhelming the live experience must have been. But while the sounds are heavy, the context is devastating. After years of struggle that contributed to the dissolution of the band, To Binge and Purge in LA was given a new life by friends of Mike’s after his relapse and overdose in 2021. A six-song tribute to a friend, to a band. A six-song release dedicated to a release from pain and benefiting people still fighting through it. Without the context, WORSHIPER’s posthumous release comes highly recommended. But when you take everything in, it feels cathartic and necessary.

Yilan Yilan demo cassette

This modest demo tape proves that D-beat raw punk has become, since the unstoppable rise of free music streaming and social media, an actual artistic language spoken liberally worldwide. One could probably communicate with other fellow punks everywhere with just a simple combination of DISCLOSE song titles and pictures of studded jackets—a solid basis for intercultural exchanges. YILAN is from Budapest and this tape is their first recording. The band describes themselves as a “D-beat raw punk terrorist organization/power trio,’’ which makes me thinks that they are probably the smallest terrorist organization ever recorded. They would still be able to terrorize my mum, I suppose. It will not baffle anyone to learn that YILAN plays, well, D-beat raw punk, with an adequate level of distortion, some dissonant mid-paced numbers to keep things interesting, and a SHITLICKERS cover just to make sure the listener really gets what they are going for. What makes them stand out is the very harsh and hoarse, aggressive female vocals, not unlike EXCREMENT OF WAR or HOMOMILITIA’s. The tape will satisfy those in need of raw dis-core, but will certainly leave cold those that are not (the fools!). I am curious to see what YILAN will offer next. The tape was released on Szégyen Kazetták, which translates to “cassettes of shame,” and seeing that they put out a band called PISS CRYSTALS, I salute the choice.

Yleiset Syyt Toisten Todellisuus LP

Yet another great band carrying the torch of Finnish hardcore, with members of Finnish bands like KOHTI TUHOA and FORESEEN that have been turning heads. Toisten Todellisuus is a compilation of the bands’ two 7″s, 2019’s self-titled EP and 2021’s Umpikujamekanismi. A record for Finnish hardcore fanatics, as they get the best of their country´s classics like MELAKKA or APPENDIX with a taste of USHC. The opener even has a couple of riffs that could be on the CRO-MAGS’ debut.

Zaniak Zaniak cassette

I am aware that Marvel movies are pretty popular, but as far as I am concerned, watching one is something of a psychologically grueling endurance challenge. But then, I am clueless about American comics, so it makes sense. Zaniac is apparently a demonic parasitic creature from the Marvel universe, and this must be from where San Diego’s ZANIAK took their name. Zaniak is also a children’s game book, but it would not make much sense to have a blown-out pogo-core band named after that, I suppose. I actually really enjoy this recording, and while the most obvious influence would be fuzzy Japanese noise punk like the SWANKYS or a less distorted version of DUST NOISE, pogo punk love is strong in this one indeed, and bands like ORDER or SAD BOYS are also at the top of the recipe. Finally, I can detect a songwriting vibe that is not unlike the school of primitive, raw ’80s Mexican hardcore punk like HEREJIA or XENOFOBIA. But it could just be me. My one minor reservation lies in the vocals. There is probably too much effect on them and it somehow diminishes the sonic aggression in my book. I do love the gratuitous DISORDER-style lunatic screaming, though, and the punker-than-you artwork is lovely. On the whole, a pretty good first effort, a very fun band to listen to, and I’d love to have a band like ZANIAK where I live.