Reviews

Black Konflik

Affect This is Värmland Noise CD

There is a “make it or break it” aspect to doing D-beat. And I’m not talking about using D-beat in your hardcore, I’m talking about playing proper D-beat, the way Kawakami intended. AFFECT, the Swedish D-beat band, does it the right way! With a sound that draws clear inspiration from the blueprint left by DISCLOSE, they deliver a relentless onslaught of punk aggression. This is Värmland Noise is a discography compilation that gathers their four releases as a barrage of D-beat madness. This compilation is a testament to the enduring power of D-beat and AFFECT’s place in its lineage.

Affect Fucked Reality cassette

Well, you got that right, AFFECT. I first played this tape well into the evening, after a few park sodas, and said to myself “maybe I’ll listen to this again over the weekend, and it won’t sound so much like DISCLOSE.” AFFECT are a Swedish band, and if you love DISCLOSE and GLORIOUS?, this is a perfect addition to your Dis-collection. Dis is absolut raw chaos punk noize for reality fucker. And the best part: it’s done by two people, yet sounding like a catastrophic cacophony of several more. The percussion is a bit heavier than is standard, as is the galloping stomper track—my favorite—”Bleeding.” The words are lengthy and well-paced, nicely understated, throughout the tracks, and my only complaint is that I’d love to have some printed lyrics. The tan-on-black cover art is also excellent. AFFECT goes from “eh” to “hmm, well, OK!” with each subsequent listen.

Affect Profit Victim cassette

Noisy D-beat raw punk from Sweden. Five songs of frantic, chaotic, crusty punk with vocals barked over top and a constant squeal making me think my tinnitus was acting up. I was equally as shocked to read in the insert that this was actually recorded at a studio, not on a boombox, as I was to read that the band has only two members, the vocalist also playing the drums. I’m not sure if this is just a recording project or if they play live, but the songs are pretty cool and I would certainly like to see two people pull this off live.

Anti-Cimex En Product Från Dagens Skitsamhälle CD

This demo recording from 1982 is Anarkist Attack-era ANTI CIMEX, and it sounds great. It was originally sent out to zines and friends and hasn’t been available on CD before now. I have some of these demo recordings on the Demos 81-85 comp, but not all of them. Harsh, warbling and heavy, Nils delivers broken vocals with adolescent intensity, before Tomas took over with a gruffer, more matured sound. This features a DISCHARGE cover and a few impromptu instrumentals, and several rarer tracks such as “Eibon” that are only on demos. This is a powerful and raw ANTI-CIMEX disc, like a table saw that delivers.

Asylum Closure CD

In Stoke-on-Trent, no one can hear you scream, I guess. Closure is a discography CD of Stoke’s most feared punk band of the ’80s, ASYLUM. With 31 songs of rough-as-fuck, noise-loving, sometimes barely listenable UK hardcore, this is definitely not an easy one, especially since the running order is sometimes a bit random and you don’t always know which songs are taken from which sessions (assuming it really matters). Even I could not take the thing in one sitting, and I am a resilient fellow when it comes to shit-fi hardcore. There are people among us who can actually tune their instruments and see songwriting as an essential part of the form of art known as music. ASYLUM were not these people. For a long time, ASYLUM were that sort of obscure, short-lived cult band that pioneered noisecore and made CHAOS UK and DISORDER sound like school choirs. In retrospect, their chaotic and obnoxious sped-up take on their neighbours DISCHARGE sounds both childish and incredibly ahead of its time. ASYLUM were the ultimate noise-not-music band, a stance, if not a way of life, that they proudly wore on their sleeves. Their finest (well…) recording Is This the Price? was reissued on vinyl in late 2021, and Closure is the definitive retrospective. The aforementioned session can be seen as an early example of proto-D-beat music, like EU’S ARSE, SUBVERSION, or SHITLICKERS, with a heavy focus on the most chaotic, noisiest side of it, and also as trailblazing of the harsh noise-not-music hardcore sound of LÄRM, RAPT, or PLASMID that would appear in the mid-’80s. The comparisons with the classic Japanese noisy hardcore bands (GAI and the like) are not irrelevant, either. They even influenced SCUM DRIBBLERS, an even more intense aural racket, who themselves influenced NAPALM DEATH, but then we all tend to retroactively create connections that might not be relevant (although they are definitely necessary in punk storytelling). This is an essential piece of history and a work that had to be done. If you are not already a fan of raw-as-fuck, DISCHARGE-ish hardcore, you should probably avoid this like the plague or your mother-in-law, but if you are interested in a band that sounds like a piss-soaked live tape of DISORDER hastily covering DISCHARGE, then Closure will be a sound investment. And it’s got a massive booklet full of details about the band’s “career” and an obi.

Barrows Discord and Society CD

Blown-out D-beat hardcore from Japan with songs about war, society, and “devastated futures.” Their Bandcamp namechecks DISCLOSE, DISCHARGE, and ANTI-CIMEX, so you know what you’re getting here: aggressive, poorly recorded, fast D-beat with shouted vocals. Really, the only surprising thing about this release is that they didn’t name the band DISBARROWS. There is a lot to like here if this genre appeals to you, though—it’s tightly-played, earnest punk with no frills, just speed and volume. The last four tracks sound like boombox demos, recommended if you want your rawness even rawer.

Birth Ritual Hell CD

Fantastic three-song EP from Japan’s own BIRTH RITUAL. Thrash punk teetering way more towards the trash end of the spectrum. This album is absolutely brutal straight out of the gate. No frills or unnecessary bullshit. Just pure intensity and raw power. A true throwback to the classic years of thrash and metal in general. For fans of NUCLEAR ASSAULT, MESSIAH, HOLY TERROR, etc.

Black Uniforms Faces of Death CD

Splattering metal punk from the Scandinavian hive of hardcore: Malmö, Sweden. BLACK UNIFORMS play motörcharged D-beat raw punk for all the moonlight rambling crashers. You get G-ZET, INEPSY, NAILBITER, and DIS-BONES style bammers, and heck, it even sounds like AMEBIX at times. This CD has both the original 1989 version of Faces of Death and the 2001 remastering. You know you want it!

Black Uniforms Straight Edge My Ass… CD

BLACK UNIFORMS were a Swedish hardcore band during the golden age of such music. With members serving time in MODERAT LIKVIDATION, the BRISTLES, and later in ANTI-CIMEX and DRILLER KILLER, BLACK UNIFORMS seem to have been a bit overlooked in comparison, but this rips. This particular release is a compilation of records from 1986–1990. This is pure, thrashing hardcore with lots of metal influence—even down to the acoustic intros and stuff! Reminds me a lot of F.O.A.D./Trader in Death-era BROKEN BONES at times. Holds up really well in my opinion. Definitely worth a shot if you like your hardcore with a healthy slathering of thrash metal bombast.

Black Uniforms Splatter Punx on Acid CD reissue

OMG, I almost typed ”Splatter Punks”… This is thrashing, metal-soloed Swedish D-beat by the ultimate Splatter PUNX! On Acid, apparently, because there are plenty of bizarrely psychedelic moments, Motör-charged punk’n’roll, leather-reeking anthemic riffs, and obscured samples—BLACK UNIFORMS always play with a grandiose Swedish vocal power, recalling parts CONFLICT in conviction and lyrical content, parts KAFKA PROSESS, parts SODOM. Get this CD and Faces of Death if your heart beats punk vitriol but your breath smells like greasy metal!

Bombanfall Åsiktsfrihet CD

It is remarkably bittersweet to be writing my final reviews for the print edition of MRR, but what a distinct honor it was to receive this reissue of one of the greatest Swedish hardcore EPs ever…that was followed up by nothing. As far as I’m concerned, this is pretty much the epitome of Scandinavian hardcore that captures both a melodic legendary folklore sound, and despairingly raw punk fueled with grandiose, godless hammering. Unless you want to spend $150 on one of mine, you absolutely must pick this up. It’s pretty much a flawless, organically played, sincerely furious, monstrously echoing, pulpit-orated, masterpiece of extreme/DIY music history, which inspired so many future compositions. I know that’s a lot of praise to print. Well, here’s my chance.

Chaos UK Stunned to Silence CD reissue

Indeed, this is a stunning racket of CHAOS UK classic ripper punk. The first fifteen tracks are a grisly, minimally tracked echoing rehearsal take, slightly edited between songs in all its crudity. Super washed-out with pulverizing drums and brash vokills from Mower.  Portishead, England must have had their windows insulated that night. Classic raw ’80s hardcore with vocals, drums, bass, guitar—all arguing together and sounding like absolute cohesive chaos! Some of the more mid-tempo songs are awesomely punctuated for the production quality. The second fourteen tracks are a live gig at Rokumeikan Club in Tokyo. Much heavier production, scrapping guitars, grumbling drums, this half is even more distorted. For punx, by the punks, CHAOS UGHH! This is an expensive cassette, so here’s your chance to get it much easier.

Concrete Sox Sewerside CD reissue

Fuzzy crossover metal punk from Nottingham. Short mad burst of thrash punk fury while at its core is A-political stenchcore riding the wave of the late ’80s thrash explosion. That’s the real standout here: the anarcho-punk stench is unrivaled through snotty coarse vocals, fanatically harsh D-beat/thrash drumming, and melodic breakdown with dirgey subterranean riffs carrying them through. Like the grooves of S.O.D. with the importance of C.O.C. Messy and punk technical thrash with Scandi-style ten-second guitar solos. This is actually a really fun listen. It’s aggressive, has bizarre samples, the lyrics are smart, the metal is up your arse and the punk is in your face. I first heard CONCRETE SOX on the Endless Struggle 1-in-12 comp and they sounded like DOOM meets OI POLLOI. Every time I got into a “new” CONCRETE SOX recording, it’s something new to experience. Anywhere from SORE THROAT to SUICIDAL to GANG GREEN. Sometimes that can seem confusing. But in their case somehow it is exciting. Keep it salty, keep it strange.

Crow 1988.2.28 Antiknock Live CD

This recording of CROW is crude, and captures the fury of punk that CROW was live. Some of my favorite CROW songs stand out on this anxious recording: “I’m Looking Out Over,” “Give Up All Hope,” my personal favorite “Bloody Earth,” and so on. The raw anguish and passion is captured in the racket, as CROW does not wait up for anything between songs. “The Day of Annihilation” into “Bloody Earth” into “Storms of Despair” into “Is Fiction,” right around the middle, just brings me to a moment of how relentless this show must have been to witness in person. A blast-through of a fire set that sounds like 25 people are in the band melting everyone’s face off.

D.N.A. Retrospective CD

Retrospective comprises all of this guttural Swedish D-beat band’s output. They have the vibe of early ANTI-CIMEX and the heaviness of SVART PARAD or BOMBANFALL, with funks-not-dead baselines that come to the forefront, and some slower-knuckle dragging ghostly rhythms as well. Think ATTACK SS, late-era RUDIMENTARY PENI, or even RADIO BIRDMAN, with macabre twists, turns, and gothic mangel. They cover “Green Onions,” for crying out loud. And the hardcore parts are raging. Not-as-talked-about 80s Swedish skit punkers, but certainly recommended.

Destruction Discography 1998–2011 CD

This collection contains the entire output of Japanese anarcho-crust band DESTRUCTION from Ibaraki. Aside from their name, they also carry a very strong peace punk sound, while being a crustcore calamity at times. Loose and pulverizing. Reminds me of AXIOM, with some melodies of PAINTBOX or BASTARD…it’s like A.P.P.L.E. meets INITIAL STATE. There are upbeat grooves that collapse into grinding, blasting rage, like E.N.S. or LUDICRA with intros by LIBERTY. DESTRUCTION members have gone on to form bands such as UNARM and ATARAXIA. This is definitely worth your attention these days; very unique, passionate, raw, and powerful punk about war, children in war, the working class struggle, and the constant oppression from a controlling class.

Deviated Instinct Nailed CD

A hammering, high-production level EP on CD with classic hardcore metal riffs, breakdowns, and sinister vocals, the latter from Mid who coincidentally provided a ton of great punk art for NAPALM DEATH and EXTREME NOISE TERROR. Double-kick-pedal-driven death crust riffs, escapist vibes, cyber-industrial landscape effects—this reissue of DEVIATED INSTINCT Nailed longs for a lazy summer day under the trees with a gang of your best squatter buds. In a world where such things are no longer recommended! “OOH!” Just going to have to thrash on my roof. Tangent aside, if you’re not that familiar with DEVIATED INSTINCT, Nailed is the perfect example of terminal filth stenchcore. It’s killer. “Slow Death Suck” is a must hear death crust track. For fans of SKAVEN, BURNING WITCH, 13… this was a pioneer release when death metal punk was making its way into the NYHC sound as well. “UGH!”

Bafomet / Devil’s Poison Drinking Blood split CD

Live, raw split combining forces between Chile’s own satanic thrash metal on behalf of DEVIL’S POISON, a blistering, vicious gig filled with never-ending solos and thrashy gutturals all over praising the dark lord, and Tokyo blackened metal punk on the BAFOMET side. The venomous side of this split is all over the place, featuring “close to the chaos while the band is going strong” vibes which I enjoyed, but on the technical side, it’s quite messy. If you get your kicks spending several hours in dungeons and small, smoke-filled gig spaces as I do, then this might be right up your alley, since it sure captures that feeling.

Asocial / Distrust Live at International Youth Center 28/4-84 CD

Here’s a CD reissue of a split live tape that brings the noise all the way back to the beginning. This unrelenting käng chaos will have you dunking your head in model airplane glue and spray painting “DISCHARGE” on a police station wall. The recording is from a live show they played together with MOB 47 in 1984 and doesn’t sound much different from a lot of the studio recording from that era. It’s raw and noisy, but you can hear everything well enough, for D-beat. It also features some live bonus tracks from each band that I assume are from the same show. This isn’t just some collector’s item for Swedish raw punk completists, it’s great for anyone who hates music.

Döraid The Savage Years 2011–2012 CD

This one’s interesting and filled with raw energy. Obscure and grindy Tokyo metalpunk that flirts with thrash stances, and with some surprisingly powerful vocal work. Crunchy mayhem that sometimes ends in a strident guitar solo from another era that seems to be willing to rip you apart; the riffage here is on-point. This CD summarizes some of their previous releases from 2011–2012. Recommended for obscure Japanese metalpunk addicts and idolizers, get ready to have your ears buzzing after this one.

DTR Kungens Barn CD

DTR (or DEATH TO THE REGIME) was a band from Linköping, Sweden that was active from 1983 to 1985. Here we are dealing with a compilation of the full catalog of this short-lived band: tracks one through nine were recorded in 1985 at Bosse Sound, tracks ten through nineteen are from the compact cassette Rise Another World, and the final two tracks are demos recorded in 1984. They played fast and thrashy hardcore punk, but retained a Swedish musical sensibility with great melody. It’s not crossover, but it sure is close to that!

Gnats Sucker All Thing I’ll Never Say 1988–1991 CD

A retrospective compilation on the Malaysian Black Konflik label, this CD showcases the recorded works of Sapporo City’s GNATS SUCKER. These upbeat Japanese punks took cues from traditional American hardcore and NYHC bands, and sounded a bit like 7 SECONDS at times. Collecting material from the band’s 1991 demo, songs that originally appeared on an old Japanese hardcore compilation, and unreleased tracks, it’s a thorough glimpse at an obscure old school band with great broken English titles (“With Say” is a personal favorite).

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

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

Haavat Myrsky Nousee CD

This is one band I somehow totally missed until recently, although they have been going since 2019. I should have my punk radar looked at by a specialist; too much Japanese distortion might have damaged it, or there are just so many new bands to check that it has become humanly impossible to know them all, even with a radar as sensitive as mine. So I keep it simple and just pretend to know all the bands and nod confidently whenever an unknown band is mentioned in public, like everyone else. I don’t want to lose punk points. I was curious about this band since Mid from DEVIATED INSTINCT drew the cover (his style is very distinctive) and I was expecting some heavy metallic sludgy crust, but wrong I was. Mid also plays the guitar in the band, but HAVAAT plays heavy hardcore punk with brilliant energetic female vocals in Finnish (she used to sing in RAKKAUS) and a dash of crust. It is a rather straightforward affair, which is the whole point I assume, and I am reminded of ’90s and ’00s anarcho hardcore bands like OPERATION, PARAGRAF 119, or DETESTATION, and crustier British bands such as EXCREMENT OF WAR or RUIN also come to mind. There are a couple of mid-paced numbers reminiscent of old school Finnish hardcore, and even some slower dirty metal punk ones to bring some diversity, but overall the songs are beefy and fast-paced. There are seventeen tracks on the CD, and to be honest, it does feel a little long at times, because this kind of direct hardcore punk works better on a shorter format. HAAVAT could have easily gone for an album with the ten songs highlighting best of the several tricks the band has up their sleeves and it would have made for a more solid record. Less would have been more here. Not a bad album, the vocalist is an amazing singer, but a little long.

Hellbastard Hate Militia CD

The crustiest raw war metal punk. Loose triplet drumming, doom droning disgusting riffs. Headbangers all the way through. Octaves upon octaves of crust basics that sharpened its axe on the blackened stone of Northern England crust madness. Passionate ecological political lyrics spat over anarcho-metal with a goth-like undercurrent and thrash moments. Rather unique combination at a time when bands with a similar aesthetic were much more stripped down to a CRASS/AOA/ICONS OF FILTH style. The thanks list alone says it all: “To all the animals on earth, all the insects on earth, all the mammals and trees, birds, rivers and seas. Forests, lakes, ponds and woodlands—everything else can fuck off.” HELLBASTARD fucking yes. Full-color booklet of photos and lyrics. This is a nice appetizer, stay tuned for a HELLBASTARD 2020 album, as announced on these liner notes.

Influënzia Kønflik cassette EP

Scorching Malaysian hardcore blisters through five tracks of manically guitar soloed splatter-drummed, echoing distortion with Finnish influence and contemporary depth. Initially the presentation sounds like it’s going to be especially fast, but is surprisingly mid-tempoed with layers upon layers of distortion, harsh noise and grit, and “Ughs!” added at all the right moments. Some longer, lo-fi riff exploration reminds of blackened metal. Constantly ascending riffs pull you higher and higher over the gallows branch. Until it ultimately cuts you off wanting more. I’m reviewing a cassette called Kønflik, from Black Konflik, Malaysia. This rodent of audio media oozes with frustration and organic solidarity. Favorite track: “Isolasi II” into “Kriminal” into “Tragedi.” But they all sort of blend together one after the other. The entire play feels like a story in chapters. An unassuming introduction that grows on you by the end. Well done.

Inzest Violence Not Words CD

Prepare yourself for a brutal thrashcore assault straight from Osaka! The short-lived but impactful INZEST combined blistering hardcore with furious, thrashing riffs and intense screams. If you’re a fan of bands like S.O.B., OUTO, and GUDON, and crave the relentless speed and aggression they offer, you won’t be disappointed with this release. This CD is a reissue of the previous LP by F.O.A.D Records, and it features the early collection of tracks from INZEST from 1987–1988—the cult flexi disc Another Religion Another Violence and the rare Motive of Genocide demo tape. Just play it and brace yourself for a blood-soaked onslaught of manic ferocity!

Janky Live at Yokosuke 1987? CD

The prolific label Black Konflik from Malaysia is at it again, this time with a new release of obscure Japanese hardcore from the ’80s, namely a live recording (presumably from 1987) of JANKY from Yokohama. The band is something of a minor classic for Japanese punk nerds (also known as “the hardcore nerd elite” in the scene), what with having an extremely rare, and actually very good, flexi released in 1984 on Hold Up Records, crucial criteria in the making of a true hardcore classic that no one really knows. Musically, the band epitomized the early raw energy, speed, and intensity that characterized the genre and made it so popular in the mid-’80s through bands like GAUZE, KURO, and many others. Still, this live recording is tough to listen to and I haven’t been able to sit through it. Radical devout fans might be able to, and I am sure they already grabbed it, but I am not one of them and it just sounds really rough.

Klonns Vulgar CD

Holy shit. This is my shit—hyper-distorted pummeling D-beat noise. I know, I know… but seriously KLONNS is like the heaviness of COFFINS, the gnarly ferocity of D-CLONE, the driving beat of SYMPTOM and the embittered sincerely of FRAMTID. Fly your brain into the blacked clouds with this brief demonstration of gargantuan hardcore noise and gut-churning death-beat punk. I’ve been so fucking frustrated with this COVID-19 pandemic and our living situations… this was the guttural brain-cooking death punk attack I needed. Desperately. The last track is an ABRAHAM CROSS cover. Killer! Recommended for simple-minded D-beat Tokyo crasher crust romantics. NWOJHC!

Mass Separation Semarak Api CD

Grind-crust out of Malaysia. Sloppy and noisy as hell, the way the genre is meant to be. As is with a lot of these types of releases, the drums immediately stick out to me, as they are blisteringly fast and never waver. Guitars have a very powerviolence/metalcore tint to them. Lots of crunchy breakdowns, squealing pinch harmonics, and dissonant chords. Vocals have a ton of nuance and range from deep-throat growls to banshee-like screams. All in all, a decent release if you’re a fan of the genre.

Moderat Likvidation Kuknacke CD reissue

I mean, hey hey! Here is a collection of melodic ultra-fast hardcore from young Swedish legends MODERAT LIKVIDATION. This is a no-brainer must-have for noisefucker. Whenever I hear “Hiroshima” or “Enola Gay” my brain and heart melts. MODERAT LIKVIDATION packs the classic ’80s rough fuzz and fury into every track. And might be the ’80s band with the most pairs of glasses on. Fun fact! As a longtime spectacles-wearer, I appreciate how hard they rocked in cable knit sweaters, bleach-splat denim, leather and glasses. What do we want, excessive LIKVIDATION? NO! The CD quality sounds great, and my CD player isn’t even that great. Get this for a road trip or something—LIKVID your life a little! *pushes glasses up onto noise*

Nyx Negativ Kalrshamns Punks 1981–1984 CD

NYX NEGATIV was a Swedsh hardore punk band who were around from 1981–1986. This compilation starts off with some good chaotic hardcore punk, and then they progress to being a fast hardcore band that seems to get their influence from This Is Boston Not L.A. and early JERRY’S KIDS. At the end of this, they are playing slower and with more melody, and then we get a couple of live tracks as well. Most of this album is pure fast hardcore and it’s great. It really does have the same type of sound that the very earliest recorded JERRY’S KIDS had—fast as hell and sounding like it could fall apart any second, but all that does is make it sound more punk.

Pöbel Möbel The Return of the Mob CD

This Swedish band from the late ’80s played fast metal hardcore like ONSLAUGHT or BLACK UNIFORMS, mixed with BLACK SABBATH vocals and paces. This is great, and the production is excellent. Bouncy punk like something off UK/DK, but clearly picking up on some CELTIC FROST attitude. There are even hints of GISM echoes and weirdness. This is like a 4:00 am album and no one is going home or to sleep, if that makes any sense. Also would be good if you are in a bad or sad mood. No-fucks-given Swedish punk rock. With tracks like “Honeymoon with Satan” and “Daily Depression,” you can’t go wrong here.

Refuse Very Best of Hero CD

REFUSE was a noisy Japanese punk trio from the Fukushima prefecture, formed in the early ’00s and consisting of members from EFFECT and DISCOMFORT, to name a few. Their sound (or rather noise!) follows the same line as Kyusu punk bands like SWANKYS, GAI, and CONFUSE, who in turn were highly influenced by CHAOS U.K. and DISORDER. The guitars are a wall of noise, the only perceptive melodies come from the wonky bass, primitive yet effective drumming leads the way, and a distorted voice utters all kinds of profanities. Love it! Very Best of Hero is a compilation of tracks taken from all their releases, so essentially, this has their full body of work .I highly recommend the tracks from the Punk Save the World??? EP, which is a really fun, pogo-inducing noisy hardcore gem, complete with covers of GAI and the SWANKYS. For noise addicts!

Regime Bury Them Now cassette

Blistering D-beat from Moscow, Russia. This tape rips and is pretty timeless. Nails this style dead on. Sure, it’s cliché to compare a D-beat band to DISCHARGE, but there you have it. Five songs will leave you wanting more.

Sarushibai 日陰者の矜持 CD

Hardcore punk band SARUSHIBAI from Gunma Prefecture has released their new album on CD with Malaysia’s Black Konflik Records. From what I gathered, this is so-called “Showa-style Japanese punk,” which finds inspiration from bands such as the STALIN, ABURADAKO, and DEFORMED CHILDREN, but with a wider range of influences, mainly US-based labels like SST and Alternative Tentacles. A good pick for fans of intensity and melody-drenched hardcore.

Sludge Sludge CD

Japan’s SLUDGE have been releasing high-energy metallic hardcore punk cuts since 2011, all of which are conveniently compiled here. Hailing from the southwestern region of Kinan Wakayama, it’s cool to hear this style coming from a non-major city for a change. Raw and violent with plenty of metal riffing and confident punishing vocals, fans of GISM and the other usual suspects of gnarly Japanese crust will love it.

Sound of Disaster Välfärd 1984–1985 CD

The complete discography of Swedish sonic tormentors SOUND OF DISASTER. These guys ate battery acid with TOTALITÄR and shared a scene with all your favorite Swedish D-beat pioneers, with this CD being a conveyance to that crusty motherland. There isn’t much throwaway here, it’s pretty abrasive shit and does not come up for air at any point. The drumming is akin to windows smashing in time, guitars are hammered in a tuning unknown to any, and there is mayhem in each song with an earnest and cracking scream coming from a floor vent. Each ballad on this is pure and intense. Highly recommended.

Summer of Death Bolt Nine Chambers + The Demo Collection CD

Crossover thrash band from Tokyo presenting their 2019 EP and previous demo releases, so the range here is wide and goes from fast-paced crossover thrash to heavy metal-infused cadences and even some SUICIDAL TENDENCIES vibes in some of their songs. The cover artwork depicts a charged punk reminiscent of the ’80s Earache era, and this material exudes skateboarding brothered with extreme metal—SUMMER OF DEATH are keepers of the party mental attitude. For lovers of that specific era and style.

The Geros Weird Dance + Demo 2014 Remastered CD

Maybe not the snappiest title, but a very descriptive one in the fact that this is the GEROS’ 2021 EP followed by their debut (and much better) 2014 demo. In case you’re not in the know like the many Japanese TEENGENERATE-worshiping collector nerds, this Osaka band has cranked out some quite competent early MAKERS meets the SWANKYS garage punk  with a KBD nod here and there. The newer and slower EP is good in a darker CRAMPS-ish vein, with a heavy metal-loving opener. The much noisier 2014 demo captures what I imagine their live show to be. Raw and loud. It’s all been brought to us by a wonderful CD-only Malaysian label specializing in re-releases of amazing international punk classics, so it could be a little hard to track down. Good luck, punk.

Todestrieb DEsperAte THanatology CD

Listen, I’m gonna be honest here. If you’re someone who likes conventionally “good” hardcore—polished, on tempo, and in tune—then you’re not going to like this album. However, if you’re someone like me who likes the sloppiest of the slop, who loves musicians that sound like they’re attempting their instruments for the first or second time, then this record is for you. TODESTRIEB may not have the technical chops of their crust peers, but to say they don’t have the correct attitude is straight-up false. These guys just go for it and kill it. I love seeing this kind of confidence in punk. Less solos and more noise is what I say! Big fan of this album.

Tolive Live CD

This band from Kyushu Island was already included on the Downright Vulgarities compilation (also released on Black Konflik Records) that I reviewed a couple of months ago, and unsurprisingly, the band delivers seven new tracks of the traditional ’80s Japanese sound. To be honest, if you told me that TOLIVE used to be active between 1984 and 1987 and that this was a reissue, I would definitely believe you, especially if you caught me at my most gullible. The singer sounds exactly like your typical ’80s Japanese hardcore singer (think GUDON or GISM, obviously), and this confers a delicious vintage feel to the recording, which I suppose is what the band goes for. Musically, this is classically executed Japanese hardcore with those triumphant riffs and characteristic high-energy backing choruses that you can shout along to with clenched fists. The production is quite raw and simple so that it almost has a stripped-down feel, which may not be intentional. In any case, I think TOLIVE would have benefited from a more energetic and refined sound. The cover looks absolutely beautiful, though. I am not the biggest fan of this brand of traditional mid/late ’80s Japanese hardcore, but I am convinced this would appeal to the nerds who are.

V/A Downright Vulgarities CD

Alright, this is an interesting one, a CD compilation with five Japanese hardcore punk bands I have never heard of. The bands are all from Kyushu Island so that the project is regional, and area-based compilations are often the best way to discover current local scenes. Overall, all the bands’ recordings display that distinct spontaneousness and urgent sound that characterized the traditional Japanese hardcore sound that ruled the country between the late ’80s and the mid-’90s (like LIPCREAM, NIGHTMARE, OUTO, and the like), and still does. The winner of Downright Vulgarities appears to be M.V.11 (meaning MAXIMUM LEVEL 11, that did crack me up) because they are the band that displayed the highest level of energy, the most effective and epic choruses, and that triumphant vibe that goes hand-in-hand with the genre. Despite not being comprehensively cognisant of that type of hardcore (B2 level I reckon, one cannot excel at everything), I suppose the listener is bound to expect it to have that fist-pumping vibe, and a lot of songs on this CD do. A special mention also goes to ABSURDITIES with their super snotty punk vocals (almost SWANKYS-like) and their intense speed. I still see Downright Vulgarities as an album primarily aimed at the biggest fans of traditional Japanese hardcore who want to keep up with where the genre is at a given point in time and in a specific location. If you are just a casual, albeit rather educated listener, eighteen songs might be a bit much for you.

Voidd Final Black Fate Complete Recordings: 1990–1992 CD

An extensive anthology that gives us viciously executed raw metal punk with crust, sickening thrash, and merciless grindcore. A Nagoya, Japan project started in 1989, this LP combines their early recordings until 1992, a point where the band started to explore other sounds and cadences. Darkened thrash with heavy, steady tempos is combined with flaming riffage on behalf of the guitars, plus maniac vocals that go from guttural pig to cavernous, deep madman. Highly recommended for the dis-lovers, but also thrash maniacs and crust-associated people. I personally recommend the first set named Premonitory Inscription Demo 1, compiled from their very first recording in 1990. Fire and thrash!

Wageslave Human Terror CD

Crust punk from Fukishima, Japan that delivers classic metallic noise with complexity and texture. While most of the tracks tick all the right microgenre boxes (shredded guttural vocals, low-end riffing, lo-fi distorted everything, frequent guitar leads à la LIFE), songs like “Total End” and “Remote Control” soak in doomy ambiance with short phrases of clean guitars and textual figures that recall atmospheric black metal. These passages take nothing away from the crusty pummeling power of the faster tracks, and in fact make the whole experience even grimmer. “Micro,” “Majority,” and “Fall Down” deliver the no-frills chugging that fans of FRAMTID will appreciate. Expertly-made bad vibes punk.

Warsaw Discography 92–93 S.C. Dynamite Go! Go! CD

After being recently introduced to Black Konflik’s output, I’ve become a quick fan. They have a handful of legendary releases from the likes of PARANOID and DEFIANCE and even more obscurities like this collection of demos and compilation tracks by WARSAW, a hardcore punk band from Sapporo, Japan who were active from 1992 to 1993. They went on to switch lead singers and become SHOT GUN, leaving this output in their wake. It’s a raw and lo-fi affair bringing to mind other Japanese hardcore bands like SYSTEMIC DEATH and DEATHSIDE. If fast and nasty hardcore is your thing, check it out, especially their contribution to the Criminal Truth Hate Justice comp, which is included here. Gnarly stuff!

Without Defeat Absurd World CD

Excellent new grindcore punk from Tokyo. Featuring members of deathcore mammoths KRUELTY, WITHOUT DEFEAT blasts forth nuclear ’80s-style with ripping intent—brutal, slaying grind with crust punk leanings. WITHOUT DEFEAT nails the styles of TERRORIZER and HERESY with some GISM detest and SOB rage. This is a highly recommended debut EP-length CD of eight super heavy tracks, as an exclusive from Black Konflik Records. Contemporarily, I’d compare them to KLONNS, COFFINS, DISCRIPT, or GUILLOTINE TERROR, however playing much faster with levels of D-beat and crushing mid-tempo breakdowns. Slowburner measures hit hard and retreat before it gets stale. I like this and think it will only get more interesting with each listen—’80s grinding thrash and ’90s death metal make for a killer hardcore punk debut. Nasty art adorns the bleak matte black sleeve.

Yemen Who is Pull the Trigger? CD

YEMEN is a band that features members of GOUKA, and what we get from them is some Swedish-style D-beat in the vein of ANTI-CIMEX or DISARM. Tough and thick guitar sound with some chaos thrown in just to get it right. Good stuff. Black Konflik continually puts out good crust and D-beat releases, often CD or cassette versions of records. I’m a fan.

Zorn Zorn CD

ZORN releases a knot of stellar, binge-worthy metal/punk. Billed as “Philly’s creepiest cult sensation,” the band brings satanic stage rituals and theater in various forms, such as carrying band members onstage via coffins and other wholesome behaviors. The stage presence is brilliant, as is the crusted, blackened punk spewing from this release. Much comes to mind—I want to look towards BATHORY, VENOM, NEGAZIONE, and some of that D-beat for comparison. The record is tough…tough and long! Lots of value to be had, and it’s on Black Konflik!  It has become my master’s call.

Zygote 89-91 CD

Wow, this is much cooler than I had expected! It is no mystery that ZYGOTE is composed of members of AMEBIX as well as the SMARTPILS. When I first heard A Wind of Knives in the late ’90s (after getting into AMEBIX), I found it much more post-punk, to the tune of KILLING JOKE and even parts early JANE’S ADDICTION. The first half of this CD is much like that jangling industrial post-punk expression. Decent production with muffled gloom and hypnotism. The second half is a live set whose quality is as clear and on the same level as the demo. The low grinding vibe of AMEBIX is much more prevalent here on this raw offering of a more minimal post-punk project versus their single full-length album.

偏執症者 (Paranoid) Cursed CD

Dark and dreary from this summer, PARANOID returned with a powerhouse of chamber-echoing Swedish thrash metal, combined with their signature D-beat attack. Ten tracks of ’80s-infused metallic riffs under savage, raspy vocals and dense, punctuated percussion. Mid-paced and catchy, PARANOID is somewhere between CRUCIFIX and NIHILIST. I’m a big fan of DEATH BREATH and BASTARD PRIEST, and PARANOID always delivers, but even more punk. Actually, this might be my favorite recording from them (I have their covers cassette Out Raising Hell LP, and that session’s outtakes LP). It’s clear, harsh, and just moves like a war bison. A tornado of punk metal thrash and a dash of hardcore; breakdowns, anxiety, death, and destruction. If PARANOID has not let you down in the past, this is sure to hit hard as hell.

偏執症者 (Paranoid) Complete Paranoid Discography 2012-2017 2xCD

A fuckload (i.e. 50) of tracks on two CDs, housed in a nice digipak with an info booklet. I’m a little confused about the whole thing, with what sounds like English lyrics but with song titles in Japanese by a Swedish band. I’m guessing it’s an aesthetic choice, but I might just be a poser who doesn’t know shit about fuck. As a discerning fan of some noisy D-beat or Mangel or whatever, I still gave most of it up to collect late ’70s/early ’80s punk 45s! There’s only so much storage space in an affordable Bay Area flat, you know? And that was before PARANOID really came on the scene, so I own zero of their records, which makes me the perfect review candidate. I did not listen from start to finish because I don’t have enough alcohol and painkillers on hand, but skipping around randomly reveals that PARANOID is a capable noisy D-beat band with very effective imagery, and the occasionally referential nod to DISCLOSE or DEATH SIDE or any number of other noisy or Japanese things. My highlights are the MISFITS cover and STREBERS cover that isn’t on here (“2 Skott”), cuz it proves we have influences in common besides bands that start with D. So yeah I’m a bastard, but if you are a completist or need all fifty PARANOID songs ever in one package, then your prayers are answered. Jokes aside, Black Konflik = top quality.

DSM-5 / 暴力装置 (Bōryoku Sōchi) The Future Means Murder split CD

Swedish D-beat mercenaries DSM-5 don’t waste any time, delivering five flaming tracks almost instructing the whole audience on how to properly handle distorted beats and how they should be grasped and executed. On the other half of the split CD, 暴​力​装​置 (VIOLENT DEVICE) gives us a fit filled with a raw hardcore essence, mixed with vocals echoing another era. Dis-lovers, this one’s sure going to satisfy your cravings.

暴力装置 (Bōryoku Sōchi) Corruption of the Lawful Violence CD

This is another release on the very active Black Konflik label (a passionate enterprise indeed), with yet another Japanese hardcore band that I am clueless about. Which, in fact,  is a lovely feeling, as it allows me to register new bands, expand my knowledge, and give me new opportunities to outshine (if not outcrust) the competition during important punk social events like the annual Punk Nerds Symposium. I was expecting 暴​力​装​置 (BOROYOKU SOHCHI) to deliver Burning Spirits hardcore but, beside the song “State Power” that does abide rather gloriously by the epic standards of the genre, the main influence is beefy Swedish hardcore. The vocals are right between BASTARD’s Tokurow and CIMEX’s Freke. The riffs and overall songwriting clearly point to ’90s ANTI-CIMEX and the bands that worked on that specific angle, like NAILBITER or early WIND OF PAIN (to name just a few). I am not convinced by the production though, there is too much reverb on the vocals for me and the sound sometimes makes me feel like I am listening to the band underwater. I think it would have sounded more powerful and impactful with less effects. Still, it does the job, I really like the vocal tone, and I had a good time listening to the five songs, so I may just be an ungrateful bastard like my dad always told me when I skipped classes.