Five songs from some of the former FARTZ. They still maintain the mania of the past line up, but combine it with a slightly more metal sound that sometimes reminds me of BLACK FLAG, sometimes of DISCHARGE. Excellent.
This Michigan 5-piece has a song called “Spirit of ’76″ and that gives a good idea about their sound: garage-y pop-punk with jangly guitars and personal/political words. Pretty good.
A four-song demo from a young Berkeley band. It ranges from thrash to classical punk, all done with flair and originality. Great start.
A metal-punk band that’s short on wanking guitar solos and long on power and oomph. This is close to older bone-crunching punk than modern metal, which is fine by me. I can’t say much about the lyrics, though.
Garage band fanatics will love this. Yup, it’s another trashy outfit that’s emerged from the psycho ward called the Midwest. Watch for these cool cats in your town—then run!
There’s a decidedly jazzy feel to the thrash this band delivers. I can’t really put my finger on it, but it does set them apart in a way. No, it’s the guitar and drumming; though they’re both frenetically fast, it is jazzy as well. Hear it for yourself, because this is something of a breakthrough, different from the MINUTEMEN.
A 28-song release displaying the BALLS’ hard-hitting but almost pop hardcore sound. There’s a lot of attention on melody, vocals, and back-up singing, as well as many changes within songs. This can be annoying, but their overall power and unrelenting energy carries it off. Pro job, fine lyrics too.
Never heard of these folks before, and this is their fifth full-length in the last fifteen or so years. 500 MILES TO MEMPHIS definitely have the instrumentation on occasion: pedal steel, mandolin, and banjo, together with the wall of rock sound. I’m always a bit suspicious of bands that try and meld roots / folk music with punk rock. I think it works best when they stick to the more “regular” albeit punk stuff (though I am a sucker for the layered gospel choir vocal effects). There are a couple of songs that I’m sure SOCIAL DISTORTION could fit right into their current set. Not terrible by any means, and the lads can certainly play.
A very hard-to-come-by EP by this San Diego group. The music is medium-paced punk with occasional rapid-fire outbursts. The production is very powerful and English-like, and the words are really good, covering cliquishness, religion, paranoia, and intervention in Central America.
This looks and sounds familiar to me, but I can’t place. It. Anyway, here we have 18 medium tempo garage-y punk tunes, with catchy lyrics. Reminds me of the early Los Angeles underground sound, very rocking with tasteful twists!
First response I had to this was to be a real fucking “jerk.” Then I thought, what the hell? They’re probably a good time, like that friend’s band you reluctantly drag yourself to see and end up having a pretty nice evening. There’s most likely some ironic Hawaiian shirts, funny headgear, and a couple of people even bring their kids. Somebody has one too many well bourbons and tells that bad uncle joke over and over. All get to bed in time to make it to work the next day. Sorta wholesome in a weird way. Musically, they remind me of a much less punk WHOOSIE WHAT’S IT’S with some competent musicianship, elements of punk, garage, and surf and a rowdy singer that can belt it out just fine. The title track is the winner and there’s even an ALICE COOPER cover to get your tipsy office pal dancing on the table. Just swell.
A pretty hot effort here. These wild Iowans unleash a harsh, driving thrash attack with social and political lyrics. The mushy production is a setback, but this is worth investigating.
Quite a versatile band. Almost every track sounds substantially different from the last, ranging from straight chord garage rock (great cover of “Boys”) to folk punk, to MUTANTS/X-type early punk (cool male/female trade-off vocals), noise, thrash, and more. A band to watch for.
To start things off, I’ll let the band describe what we’ve got here in their own chosen words: “Written and recorded (in) under two hours in Clifton Heights, PA on the day Kacznski [sic] died.” Now that you have a rough idea what we’re dealing with here, A SEASON IN HELL plays super aggressive powerviolence-inspired hardcore. Everything was recorded live on what sounds like a damn boombox. A couple of the songs have some heavy licks and the band is pretty tight, considering. I’m definitely not saying this demo is bad, but with a little more time spent on it, I think it could have moved a lot closer to good. Kind of feels like the product should be a little closer to finished before it is exported. The recording itself sounds like a relic from years past. I didn’t realize it was possible for bands to still capture that hiss-filled, lo-fi, demented demo sound that was more commonplace years ago when nobody had access to home recording equipment. The four-song demo repeats on the cassette, and I got halfway thru the second repeat before I realized what was happening. I thought they had written an insane amount of stuff in a mere two hours.
At their best, ACTH show a real ability for crunching mid-tempo punk with nifty vocal choruses and guitar riffing. Another up-and-coming Italian band which deserves their chance at vinyl. Good stuff. (Does ACTH stand for “andrenocorticotropic hormone”?)
Good obnoxious punk with sarcastic lyrics. Catchy choruses, adolescent rebellious attitude. Neat stuff.
Four-track sound quality and a bit ragged around the edges, but otherwise it’s straightforward thrash. No real surprises, but it rocks.
“Progressive” punk that maintains a hard musical bite, yet combines with an almost folky female vocal (not unlike Pauline Murray in her PENETRATION days). Great words (comes with lyric book) and an intelligent outlook are as refreshing as the music itself. From the makers of Counter Culture zine.
Proving there’s more to NYC than street survival and “fuck you” lyrics. Fueled by strong female vocals, intelligent lyrics, and still powerful playing, there’s a PENETRATION/ POISON GIRLS influence, but also more going on here — funk influences, folk rocks aspects (cover of “Blowin’ in the Wind”) and classy production. 8 songs, worth mailing away for.
This is mostly very intensely delivered thrash with sharp lyrics. Yet there are some experimental diversions that sound like they were produced by a different band altogether. Bizarre.
A fairly original 15-song demo with some good musicianship, fairly non-standard structures, and really gruff vocals. Most of the tempos are medium to medium-fast.
Poppy, self-loathing, and self-rewarding bedroom punk from Philly, with a distorted recording that really lends it a fuzzy, warm vibe. The vocals make me think of BAD SLEEP and BIG EYES, but with way more bummer subject matter. Aileen Wuornos samples between songs let you know these people are on the right side. Killer.
Just two tracks at three minutes of raw furious hardcore from Charlottetown, PEI. “Left Behind” has a head-bobbing D-beat pulse, but I prefer the busy riffing and frantic phrasing on “Enough.” Cymbals clatter high in the mix, which is both a good and bad thing. Fans of such fidelity will say it improves the noise factor, but I’d like more guitar. These Canucks aren’t showing anything new but it’s still promising for a promo.
At times this is rather usual mid-tempo Brit-punk, with some of the intros being more exciting than the body of the song itself. But then at times they surprise with their sudden bursts of extra excitement and energy. Also, this is a live tape of this anarcho-punk band, and a studio might produce a much livelier product.
Directly from Chicago, Illinois comes ACID MIKVAH, a group of Jewish punks who released this cassette in June 2021 (extra credit for the lyrics on their Bandcamp page). Reverbed vocals over political, garage-y, fast punk rock, with quite catchy riffs led by a heavily distorted guitar that has resemblances of early raw punk mixed with classic hardcore. With songs that speak against apartheid and religious birthrights and take a stand against nationalism and hatred, they create freedom punk to fight against Israel’s war and sieges against Palestine (“Call everyone an antisemite, the establishment got your back / But we fight back, with Palestinians, for a just world”). Interesting political punk, you may like them.
Simple 1-2-1-2 punk structure with a gruff vocalist and a lot of metal influence in the guitar. The last song was some sort of stab at a punk ballad, and it was a real challenge to endure.
Mostly mid-tempo punk with monotone-sung vocals which don’t fit with the music. Not bad, but nothing special.
This album opens with a soundbite of a commercial for the fabled/doomed amusement park from which the band takes its name, and from there the listener is treated to twelve poppy, melodic, hook-laden songs that sound like they were just unearthed from a time capsule buried sometime in the mid-’90s. There’s enough here to keep me interested while listening, just not enough to make me reach for this for repeat listens. That said, 1995 me would have been all over this record, for sure.
Yet another positive/straight-edge act from the SoCal area. You’ve probably heard something like this before, but it still sounds darn good, even to jaded ol’ me.
A nine-track effort (a mini-LP?) of what sounds like a British cabaret band, almost. Or sort of a “Knees Up Mother Brown” musical hall variety act. Male and female vocals, drums, guitar, bass, and keyboards. It’s all rather amateurish sounding, which is a little off-putting to these ears, though suddenly, the last three tracks (starting with a version of WOODY GUTHRIE’s “This Land Is Your Land” with BILLY BRAGG lyrical embellishments) really kick it up a gear, and sound rather more polished and hence eminently presentable! Perhaps with the addition of some more keyboards, it all falls into place? Lyrically, they seem to hit all the right spots (and targets) from Emma Goldman to Boris Johnson.
ADDED DIMENSIONS is the new home recording project from Sarah Everton, most recently of Philadelphia’s great (and unjustly slept-on) minimal punk trio BLOWDRYER, and previously of TELEPATHIC and READING RAINBOW. Sarah’s trebly/jangly guitar riffs and sneaky bass lines are backed by a charge of unfussy, driving drums from Rob Garcia, all cloaked in the perfect amount of Tascam grit, as she lyrically pares down the heavy psychic weight of modern living (the social cost of convenience and connectivity, the inane routine of labor as a means of survival, etc.) into disarmingly hooky mini-manifestoes—even the sugar-coated melodies can’t hide the harsh truths behind lines like “running in place so you can get paid” (“Behavior”), or “live in a fantasy, suffer anxiety, waking up dead” (“Obvious Device”). WIRE rubbing elbows with the SHOP ASSISTANTS as a C86 band? A Kim Deal-fronted URINALS? Charms you can’t resist!
Galloping drums, weird structures, and snarly-ass vocals are the hallmarks of AEROBIC DEATH’s thrashy attack. They sound sort of like the early MEAT PUPPETS, right down to a slight GRATEFUL DEAD influence. “Ten Minute Fart” is the best song title.
Okay, okay, so dumb lyrics aren’t just limited to the USA. Actually, less than half the tunes here have gore-related subject matter, while the rest are introspective and brooding, not so lame at all. Musically, mostly speedy thrash, but more musical than speedcore, as well as some slower tunes.
AGAINST THE GRAIN is an intense band with an amazingly raw singer. Their material is in the non-melodic vein, whether fast and punky or slow and pet-rockish, and the guitar tone is nicely distorted.
Nifty garage punk from the real Northern California. Some of it’s fast and some of it’s slow, but all their material shows potential. “Raygunomics” is a definite classic.
A. FRONT’s music is ultra-frenetic, intense, and to the point—they sure don’t waste time with any unessentials. What distinguishes them from other New York groups like the MOB and URBAN WASTE is their apparent Oi influence, which manifests itself particularly in their growling guitar, their appearance, and—possibly (but hopefully not) in their ideas. I can’t really tell what the hell they’re talking about, but this EP is downright nasty.
While this is a garage recording, its sheer enthusiastic short bursts of thrash noise and accompanying song explanations are very enjoyable. Well done, however naïve it comes across.
AKTITUD 69 is actually MASSACRE 68 from Mexico, and these songs, despite being released in 2019, were recorded not long after the band’s great ¡No Estamos Conformes! LP (probably in 1991). Why does the cover have an AKTITUD 69 label stamped over probably a MASSACRE 68 logo, why did it take this long for the songs to resurface, why the name change? These questions should be answered by investigative journalism and not by dumb record reviews. MASSACRE 68 was in line with the tupa-tupa cave beat, occasionally chaotic-fast/ocassionally groovy-three-chords hardcore that was not afraid to torture some of the high strings with solos. Topping it with their singer who has the voice of a maniac leader, spitting his furious rants. For context, their contemporaries were XENOFOBIA, SEDICION, M.E.L.I., ATOXXXICO, and SOLUCION MORTAL. Since this is all lost and found, there is no question that they rip. It’s fast, intense, frightening hardcore that flirts with tension building, epic atmosphere, and other unusual parts that vary from sheer brain hammering. They both can, and enjoy, performing this record. But song after song, something is lacking. The sound of an album is the invisible instrument of the band. Shit-fi quality supports a great hardcore record—Zonas Marginadas sounds large, as it has the ambition to meet the virtual standards that no one actually ever sets, but when it’s pursued in a manipulated environment, it always traps the music. Although here, the urgency is able to sneak fractions of songs out from the engineering dungeon. This is the interesting conflict of the album, as it struggles to sound self-confident in a foreign role, but the best parts are when the music is about to fall out from the band’s hand, because they forget about themselves. It is still enjoyable, but the length of the songs, the distance between the band and how their record sounds, and some of the writing solutions degrade it to background hardcore. Those who hate the lo-fi noises of early recordings should get this because AKTITUD 69 is a great band who has an OK record for you.
Weird-ass rockin’ C&W-flavored punk. I hear LINK WRAY, BUTTHOLES, VELVET UNDERGOUND, and all kinds of stuff in here. Unfortunately, it’s only six songs long, but it’s still pretty neat.
ALARM is from Grenoble, France and has been a band since at least 2013, when their debut 7” came out. As can be surmised by the name of the demo, this cassette release was recorded in the band’s practice room in 2019. It was apparently recorded live in one take, which is particularly wild since the sound quality and production value are not that bad at all. Hell, this sounds a lot better than a majority of the cassettes which get into my hands. Eight songs of driving, mid-tempo punk rock with super catchy vocals, sometimes yelled, other times sung, and tastefully placed stripped-down guitar leads. Oh, and one of the songs is a RUDIMENTARY PENI cover, which can’t ever be a negative thing. Very cool tape. Songs are catchy and memorable. Seems like a band that would really shine live, so here’s hoping they make their way stateside sometime.
Mondays and Tuesdays doesn’t always go full speed ahead—it’s right on the edge of pop punk, emo, and indie rock. I mean, its melodies are engaging and energizing like pop punk, but the arrangements have a pensive, withdrawn feel that might limit the stagediving during shows. More than once, I heard the steady thump-thump-snap of drums that emo and melodic HC utilize so well. Of course, there are some big give-it-your-all chrouses. The band also takes time to slow down and croon enough to keep a toe in the emo camp. Sometimes they’ll throw a few complimentary notes onto the end of a chord to add to the striking, melancholy sound.
For real, it’s like a humongous swatch of pounding electric noise. Every time you play it, your neighbors will wonder where you’ve got the ship boiler…will swear you are fucked up…will wish they are like you. This disc is quite simply the absolute nuts, plain as that.
At first glance, the cover looks like a Memphis rap album, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, this is pure top-notch hardcore from Portland. C.O.C.-inspired thrashing with the balance of DISCHARGE, but reaching high speeds that would get them a ticket. Six songs of headbanging, windmilling, and moshing at dizzying speeds. A vicious way to get their career up and going.
Good, snotty early punk, basic no-frills smart-ass stuff. Five tunes, all fun.
A good example of generic suburban hardcore punk. This band falls into the “We’re pissed off at something and we don’t know what it is, but let’s still form a band” syndrome. The music isn’t that bad, and with time it should develop. The lyrics, on the other hand, are meaningless and don’t have a bit of fun quality to them. The best thing about this tape is that this band was formed, give them time and hope for the best.
This is sort of a poor man’s MINOR THREAT/MDC. Actually with a bit more fine-tuning and imagination, they could be right up there, because they have great lyrics and spirit, and aren’t musical slouches, either.
This is a well-produced demo by a group who were once called FUTURE RUIN. It’s no instant classic, but there are certain twists here that make for enjoyable listening. They’ve got potential, and the tape is well worth the “price” (S.A.S.E.).
While I freely admit that they almost lost me with the new school guitar mosh that closes the opening track, these Michiganders launch right into the devastating mid-paced slammer “Recalcitrant” and I’m back on board. AMMONIIA does an excellent job of harnessing late ’90s USHC’s discordant ferocity and injecting it into the stylish modern stomp, effectively creating something akin to the first couple of LARD records and/or mid-era SNAPCASE on mescaline. Likely these results are accidental, but I truly want to believe that someone set out to start a band that sounds like mid-era SNAPCASE on mescaline.
The vocal patterns remind me of HANK WOOD (with some obvious nods to WHITE PIGS), the changes of pace remind me of HOAX, and the lack of interesting riffs backed with a major outpouring of adoration from people on the internet remind me of GAG. There are six songs here but it’s actually four if you don’t count intros and interludes, although the interlude could’ve actually been the best track here if they had kept jamming it. The art’s pretty cool and if you missed out on punk in 2013 you may think the music is as well.
This record features six tracks of pop punk with a clean and crisp sound. The emphasis is on the “pop” here. The distortion isn’t loud or harsh enough to overwhelm the rhythm section, a sound I always associate with Epitaph and Fat Wreck records of the ’90s. The vocalist has nasal rasp to compliment all those pretty tunes. A good pick for fans of this genre.
Third release from Helsinki trio ANGRY ADULTS. Fun, summertime punk rock, as if they jumped out of the late ’90s Fat Wreck Chords catalog. Uplifting guitar riffs between whiny, slacker-esque vocals and splash-heavy drums keeping a mid-tempo beat. Going nowhere fast, driving the LAGWAGON down Highway 1 in the full sunshine…or some coastal road in Finland. This doesn’t wow me, it’s not trying to change my mind, it’s not genre-bending or new, but after a few listens it’s growing on me, making a whole lot of sense in this sticky summer heat.
These guys are as punk as their name! They play basic powerful slow-to-fast punk with angry vocals and hateful lyrics.
Honest post-punk from Brittany. Jangly and abstract timing with sweet hooks like SWELL MAPS getting released on Flying Nun Records. The self- and life-reflective lyrics are delivered in English with a passionate Mark E. Smith duotone delivery, as if the FALL had a bit more lyrical optimism. The band describes themselves as pop, but their shambling, broken anthems with earnest delivery set them well apart from their pop peers. Found myself more engaged and amped on it with every listen, up there in the spirit of the JAM’s 1977 releases.
You know something is happening when it penetrates the South. This har’ is a Tennessee band that really rips, sounding a lot like 7 SECONDS to my ear. Rednecks retreat!
Elements of ’77 punk, hard pop, and even C&W surface on this pleasantly upbeat five-track effort. Instrumental expertise and good songwriting about on this tape, though my favorite composition is the pop-punky “It’s All a Lie” because of its tasty guitar riffing. Very entertaining.
ANOTHER DESTRUCTIVE SYSTEM bases their intense diverse sound around their even more intense message; speaking out against governments, war, and human exploitation. Dedicated.
A split tape by two Colorado Springs bands that will be out touring this summer. WILLIE THE DISK have a powerful pop-punk sound and can thrash on a dime. ANTE BELLUM have a “heavy” sound more often than not. Sound quality is decent.
Boomba! This is a pretty terrific debut. While the drummer seems to lag at times from sheer exhaustion, this band blazes from beginning to end, delivering not just wicked blasts of thrash, but tuneful, catchy, and intelligent songs as well. Hot!
This four-song slab has a sound very similar to STIFF LITTLE FINGERS due to the melodic, raw mid-tempo music and harsh gravel vocals. The lyrics on the other hand stress political awareness and action like England’s CONFLICT. Combined, these influences blended with originality makes an entertaining and inspiring record.
This release doesn’t come off as well as the band does live. Somehow here, the vocals seem almost annoying, and the instrumentation lacks the power they can display. Still, it’s not horrible by any means—just not as good as it could have been.
The band was looking forward to being included in the last print issue of MRR, so our apologies that it looks like they missed that boat. This is some real high-energy, spazzy, angry punk that bounces back and forth between screamy streetpunk and legit ska-punk. The best parts are the fast, crunchy riffs that sound a little like early GRIMPLE. They also mention that they recently recorded a split with MDC.
ANTIFACES is a three-piece band from Miami. Their language is Spanish and their weapon of choice is direct and sincere melodic hardcore punk. Six years of career, and several demos and LPs later, they have come up with a forceful sound: the angriest and sweatiest of melodic punk from Argentina and Spain with some sinister touches here and there. This is ANTIFACES’ bet: to unleash a storm of noise and create urgent songs dedicated to survivors of the system; men and women who live on the edge, who fight and resist the terror of modern life, violence, and corruption of the soul. Rather than wait to be devoured by the nothingness of it all, these songs demand us to spit, kick back, and dance in a mental pogo of catharsis. As they say, “I don’t want to die in the arms of a policeman.” It doesn’t matter if it’s Latin America or the First World, there is a system in place that seeks our death, ANTIFACES sings to life. Choose life.
What’s happening to America when high school kids begin producing industrial music? It has to be an encouraging trend. I didn’t much care for their voice-oriented material; yet, the instrumental sections here are sometimes haunting and effective, spanning a wide variety of experimental styles. More, I say!
Great fast punk with lyrics about TV, ignorance, etc. Very energetic stuff here with excellent production to boot. Watch for these guys.
Third release from upstate New York’s ANXIETY SPREE, which has turned into the solo project of Dominic Armao. Compared to the band’s last release, this is a little more focused, with no signs of the upbeat pop sound found on A Party For the Garden Rats. The instrumental intro to “The Price” reminds me of something you’d hear on a SLINT album, with mostly spoken word, to boot. Even though the lyrics are included, I find myself a bit lost in the metaphors, but that’s OK; I enjoy the syncopated vocals over the angular guitar lines. This self-released project will make you a copy of the tape by request—for four bucks this can be yours!
Seven-song demo cassette from the Great White North, specifically Hamilton, ON. ANXIOUS PLEASERS could easily fit in with other modern Canadian bands like PRIORS and TOMMY AND THE COMMIES, and musically they actually sound somewhere right in-between the aforementioned. Not as poppy/garage-y as TOMMY, not as heavy rock’n’roll as PRIORS, they fit right in that “best of both worlds” kind of sweet spot. A power trio of long-time recognizable Hamilton dudes who were in ROCKET REDUCERS, TV FREAKS, FLESH RAG, and surely a gaggle of others. My favorite to date, and even includes a PAGANS cover.
Second release from the Vancouver, BC trio ANYBODYS. These four tracks comment heavily on our socio-political climate and exemplify that equality is still an uphill battle, as in “Excuse me / You’re looking right through me / Into and out of me / I don’t care” from “Do We Disgust You?” I think the last track, “RFK (2020 Version)” rocks the hardest—hopefully they’ll continue down this path while fighting the good fight.
ANIMAL/ANARCHY, PEACE & FREEDOM BRIGADE from England give a diversified approach to the talent that exists in music and how to express it. Triumphant lyrical manifestos describe the actions and stupidity of mankind, its conquest for control towards idiotic destruction of the earth. 60 minutes of avant-garde, folk, and fast surges of variable musical styles.
Five songs on cassette, previously released as singles by Seattle, WA’s APPALOOSA. Femme-led pop punk with a strong backbone of garage rock. Shamble-y guitars tear into solos, light vocals turn sassy and harsh, occasional keys provide texture, while bass and drums keep a pretty steady rock’n’roll groove. The earliest contribution to this release, the RATS cover “Thoughts By Now” (from 2020), is my favorite, with contrasted clear-as-a-bell vocals against lo-fi and super rough-sounding guitars; that said, the polish on “Western Glow” shows a nice maturing of their sound. I get the vibe of the COURETTES with rougher edges. Hope we have an LP to look forward to!
“Lonely Stone” is a short and sweet track of garage rock, heavily tilting towards the pop end. The barely distorted guitars and vocal harmonies give the song a glam feel. The novel format and the band’s curated image make this a fun work of living nostalgia.
Better than their varied debut EP. Now, they have a denser, more rhythmic post-punk orientation. “Waiting” evokes Bauhaus in their early “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” period; the flip is equally powerful, and includes some eerie sound effects. Interesting.
Musical absurdity from some wild Northern Californians. Record some characters who are trying for that NEOS sound in their living room, and you’ll have the basic idea. Completely incoherent garage thrash, more experimental than listenable, though some of the lyrics are worth hearing.
In an era when most DIY bands can barely exist longer than a single album and tour, it’s actually quite special to see a band like ARCTIC FLOWERS put out their third full-length album. More specifically, a self-released third full-length! After nearly a decade of existence, these Northwestern punks are still killing it! This album brings us more of the dark and catchy WIPERS-influenced punk rawk we’ve come to expect. As with the more recent recordings, some will almost find it jarring that the vocals are actually sung (as opposed to screamed, barked, or grunted) into the mic. Alex is an awesome singer and doesn’t try to hide it, which sometimes doesn’t blend well with raging punk. But with ARCTIC FLOWERS, it works perfectly. This album destroys! My one criticism is that the insert seems like a rushed afterthought. But when that’s the worst part of your record, you’re doing something right. Do yourself a favor and find this record.
This is thrash in the VOID tradition, with an edge to the guitar that never strays quite into a metal territory but is still more than fast enough to really nail this fucker home. The vocals are snarled through with a tinge of reverb and just a hint of restraint (barring, of course, the few moments where this thing really kicks into gear). This is hardcore from Leeds, UK by characters you’ve heard from before (PERSPEX FLESH comes to mind) who got the Static Shock treatment, though this is a demo that sounds more like it could’ve come out on 625 Thrashcore sometime during the 2000s—highly recommended.
If this is a taste of things to come from their long-delayed LP on New Underground, then we’re in for a treat. Well-constructed, diverse, SoCal punk/thrash with good hooks, lyrics, and delivery. Gary, get that record out!
Another motherfucking Denver banger. Unpretentious freak stomp hardcore with the perfect blown-out recording, and songs that get straight to the point in a minute or less. Music for eternal raging in concrete basements. This had better not stay a solo project.
A retro-collection of jabs and jibes from these fun-loving troublemakers. While punk in attitude, there’s only one really punk song here, the rest being acoustic or rhythm-machine backed—but somehow that doesn’t matter too much given the lyrics to such gems as “Pastaman Vibration.”
Fairly powerful, pounding punk somewhat reminiscent of the DK’s, though that only creeps in occasionally in vocal quality and riffs. Just a few songs here, but they show much promise.
Sounds like a somewhat more rockish DKs. Jello-like vocals and satirical lyrics are combined with tight, though a bit metalish instrumentation. Good sound quality.
I’m not sure if I fully get this L.A. band’s mix of D-beat, stoner riffs, and surreal humor, but maybe I’m not supposed to. This CD compiles three ASS LIFE tapes into a thirty-one-song endurance test. The tracks (especially the older ones) are heavy—mostly blistering D-beat assaults with occasional forays into MELVINS-esque sludgecore, with lyrics that often read like inside jokes without a punchline. For instance, “Sildenafil Penis” links Viagra with the war-torn city of Aleppo (I think), and I’ll leave “Shapeshifting Lizard People,” “Gape It,” and “Boofing w/ Chris Farley’s Ghost” up to you to investigate. But then, there are other moments that seem almost sincere, like the lines, “I used to party / I don’t do cocaine / My son is my drug / My son is my drug” in “My Son is My Drug.” In “Serious Man,” we have “I’m a serious man / And we’re a serious band.” So, who’s to say what is irony, or if it even matters. The songs all rip pretty hard with full-throated hardcore and borderline metalcore chugging. The playing, thick production, and fat distortion tones are all top-notch, and the vocals, as disconcerting as the lyrics can be, fit perfectly. Near the end of the most recent collection, there are some interesting left turns. “Vomitive Hues” opens with a distorted, monotone rendition of the BEACH BOYS’ “Barbara Ann,” and “Really Cool Cars” surprises with clean guitars and sung vocals about “Pretty cool cars / Dependable, safe cars” that highlight L.A.’s economic disparities that allow some people to flex Lambos while others must use their cars as shelter. It goes from BILLY BRAGG folk to heavy alt-rock like FAILURE without sounding contrived. Weird and recommended.
Fuck if this doesn’t sound like S.S. DECONTROL’s second release. It’s got that power thrash sound, with Springa-like vocals galore. Very well done, with political lyrics.
Throaty, fist-clenched metallic UK hardcore. AT THEIR MERCY nods respectfully to the throne of ’80s UK thrash, but they run off with those influences and pick up some straight Big Four thrash along their way. The recording is massive (check “All That’s Left” if you doubt me) and the vocals are far beyond powerful—this is a classic and refreshing example of a band crossing between heavy hardcore and heavy metal. In other words, some old dudes (guitarist was in ’80s thrashers ATAVISTIC, and the others are no young bucks) showing the young kids what’s up, and I’m here for it…I just hope the kids are paying attention (and taking notes).
Emerging as a powerhouse, the crossover genre is on the rise again due to excellent acts like POWER TRIP and FORESEEN getting under the spotlight. Scottish band AT THEIR MERCY dynamically blends the best of both worlds: hardcore and thrash metal, but in a way unlike the aforementioned bands. With influences such as CRO-MAGS, SLAYER, or even DISCHARGE, it’s a fusion of relentless aggressive music—they lean more towards the hardcore side, giving it a bouncier edge. Effectively executed, AT THEIR MERCY’s music has the potential to captivate fans from both the hardcore and metal genres.
Hot metallic HC with topical lyrics covering apathy, self-indulgence, and oppression. Not much guitar wanking, just full-on power, a great tape.
Second release from the San Francisco group ATOMIC TIDE, with members from AVENGERS, ANGRY AMPUTEES, GLITTER WIZARD, and the PLEASURE KILLS. This is a bombastic approach to punk with tinges of surf-y, psych rock guitars, and is gripped by the power of Lydia Taylor’s vocals, reminiscent of Yula Be’eri in NANUCHKA—deep, rich, and resonant. Their first self-titled cassette release came out in 2019, so it’s good to see this group survived lockdown and made it out with five new rippers! This is night music, if the title didn’t make that clear, so once the sun sets, pop this CD in your 2008 hatchback and let ATOMIC TIDE do the troublemaking for you.
Somewhat garagy production, but still listenable. Features eight fast thrash tunes, pretty tight and melodic to boot. I think if they got into a decent studio they’d turn out something above average.
Pretty hot straightforward HC which reminds me a little of early DRI. Quick catchy tunes and a distorted guitar sound makes this one an attention-getter.
Absolutely massive release from Lithuania!! Everything you love about ’00s Swedish kÁ¥ng with gratuitous doses of blast brutality and an ear for churning sludge. ATTAKTIX have harnessed all of this and created a fucking monster—unabashed devastation from the Baltics, hell yeah.
Formerly CONDEMNED ATTITUDE, this band hits very hard with a powerful sound similar to a more metallish ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT with “reality” lyrics. Lotsa tempo changes, innovative structures. Good stuff from Andy Airplane and buds!
The brain blows to smithereens as this nitro-charged speedcore whip hauls at 1000 MPH currents of wind-blown mayhem. Perhaps the best yet in non-stop, tight, aggressive zoomfests of energetic action that cleans the table in the chaotic fashion. Good lyrical content adds to the ferociousness of this rambunctious five-piece.
Pretty decent older punk styles, both live and studio. Lots of melody, raw rhythm guitar, choruses, etc. Good music to file records to.
Sort of a modern-day rhythm-machine version of a band one might have found on the bizarre ’60s label E.S.P., along with the FUGS, the GODZ, and especially PEARLS BEFORE SWINE. Rhythms and electronic organ dominate their garage-level instrumental attack, with lots of noticeable ’60s tinges. Actually, I think there are vocals, but just off-mike.
The moment the riff in “Mi Piel” starts playing, you know you’re gonna be bulldozed by the raw power of it. This is an extremely pissed-at-the-world work of art. Four songs, four punches straight to your face. AUXILIÖ works the line between D-beat, thrash, and pure hardcore mayhem, and they do so by way of some great songwriting: violent riffs, driving bass lines, pummeling drums, and some truly great guttural vocals. Thematically, the band lashes out against the usual sources of oppression: religion, misogyny, the trappings of a decaying capitalist world, only with a unique point of view, switching between Spanish and English. “Religión Hipócrita” is great trash with some vicious riffing, “Ciclo Vicioso” has some cool ’90s Mexican hardcore vibes, and “Death Trophy” is an instant moshpit-inducer classic. AUXILIÖ is a hardcore band from L.A. They’ve been doing their noisy thing since 2016 and have played in Perú (they’ve got a split with PODRIDO on Unsainted Records, if you want to check it out). You can get this furious EP as a CD or cassette. Do hurry cause they’re running out.
Another boiling speed-merchant band in the tradition of ANTI-CIMEX, right down to the guitar solos. Maniac snarls overbite into brutal distortion and missiling quickness, which belts this hammering havoc into a forceful bombardment of chaotic punches. Great, but not unique—if you ordered this and ANTI-CIMEX, and the records got mixed up, you’d never know.
Fans of REJESTRACJA, ABADDON, TRAGEDIA and the like: here’s a modern-day answer to your Polish punk classics. Punks from Dublin collect two sessions from 2016 and 2018 on a well-balanced long-player. While the punk flattens out a cityscape with a rolling pin like fucking shortbread on the sleeve art, the band pounds out basic but massive hardcore-tinged punk songs with instantly memorizable choruses. Great cyclical riffs and a distorted vocal style better recall all of our favorite vintage Polish punk better than anything I’ve heard…probably since the ’90s? But don’t worry, it’s not purely throwback, you don’t need any prior record nerdiness to enjoy. You may think two-chord punk will inevitably be tedious, but the art form will often prove you wrong. I mean, on the last track on strona A, the drummer is basically blasting for a minute and a half and it’s so punk that you don’t even notice! And there’s a boobed skeleton pushing a wheelbarrow full of skulls.
Yes, they do have a lot of GANG OF FOUR influence, which often becomes boring. Such is the case with the two B-sides. But the A-side is blessed with a much more raw and aggressive sound—the redeeming side of “post-punk.”
Well-rounded musical influences play an important role in this German band’s sound which is a nice mixture of early punk, thrash, and pop. They switch off, and the combination of male and female vocals adds an interesting diversity to the arrangements and blends well with the mid-tempo, offbeat tunes.
A little of everything comes from this wise-guy garage punk outfit. They kind of epitomize the genre—you either like the charm or are put off by the unprofessionalism.
A solo artist from Madison, WI, BABY TYLER’s got some real songwriting chops. Apparently this guy does a whole acoustic thing in addition to the punk bile found on this cassette, which isn’t hard to imagine when you focus in on the thoughtful composition of these ten tracks. The songs have depth and complexity that will really draw you in if you let them. I didn’t, mostly, but in an ocean of so-so modern acts, BABY TYLER bobs above the surface.
England’s answer to the RAMONES, with a driving three-chord melodic sound. Only three songs, but damn good, especially for gabba gabba hey fanatics.
Enjoyable punk and thrash from this West German outfit. Good lyrics, powerful, clear sound quality make this tape a hot one.
BAD BATCH from Cleveland, Ohio’s latest demo release. Carries on the local tradition of LIP CREAM Á la NINE SHOCKS TERROR’s (the band, not the album) approach to the late ’80s Japanese HC sound. Burning Spirits-style epic leads without being a complete replication of the bands they like. Recommended.
Gothic punk that hails from the depths of England. Simplistic rhythms and aggressive melodies come together with a sound very close to early TSOL or the DAMNED. Definite “eerie” overtones present, resulting in a hard-edged image and making this tape nothing more than healthy entertainment.
Hard-driving fast punk with a good bit of melody. Lyrics alternate between personal and silly. Lots of fun.
Punks on YouTube always know what’s up, especially when it comes to buzzing, damaged hardcore, and that’s how I first heard BAD EXAMPLE. They have that sound that seems to always ignite comment sections across the web lately. There’s cave-like production, amplifying the ferociousness of the playing with waves of cacophony, plus you have those vocals that sound like you’re live in the warehouse—a whipping screech that cuts like wind following a machete swipe. It’s of a style, one that is especially popular right now, but damn if it isn’t done well. Nine tracks in under fifteen minutes, sounding like a hailstorm in a tin can and played like they mean it—BAD EXAMPLE shines alongside their contemporaries in hardcore and keeps the genre dismal and alive.
Polished street punk from Minneapolis. Nothing to see here unless you’re looking for solid, gruff, catchy punk rock—like RADIOACTIVITY on a steady diet of the BUSINESS. Short, snappy, and to the point…just like this review.
This is the second self-titled release by Phoenix, Arizona’s BAD IMAGE. Playing a classic style of hardcore punk with a nice little slavering of UK82 in the mix, this is a super solid release exuding with venomous anger in the vocal department. A particular standout on this tape is the stomping “Energy,” but all four tracks on here rip considerably well. Looking forward to hearing more from BAD IMAGE in the future.
A totally hot, well-produced tape from this previously unknown bunch of kids from SF’s suburbs. It features very tight stop-and-go thrash, sort of like early CIRCLE JERKS.
A ’60s-type punk band from Minnesota—and what better place to hail from…the home of such greats as the LITTER and CASTAWAYS. Mostly covers here, in a NOMADS vein. Could this be the HÜSKERS playing a weird joke? Nah…
Heavy garage influences prove very good on this tape, which has female vocals rough and loud over songs with a slow, grungy, pounding beat. Production is raw, making the tape one powerful, hard-hitting package.
Garage-y, rebellious punk & HC with youthful energy & sloppiness. Sound quality gets odd at points, but this is moderately enjoyable.
This album is getting me right in my early ’90s Riot Grrrl nostalgia feels. Jubilant sunny-day punk that is equal parts vulnerable BRATMOBILE jangle and noisy BIKINI KILL/HOLE swagger. The transition between the muscular sub-metal riffage and more introspective pop numbers is so dramatic that it suggests the members are switching instruments—if so, another ’90s staple brought back to life. Add in the references to My So-Called Life and you’re hitting the trifecta. Lest this review lead you to think BAM!BAM! are nothing more than a throwback to an earlier era, I must say that for all the stylistic borrowing the songs themselves hold their own, and I predict that this LP will compete with the best Olympia has to offer for turntable time. I also sincerely hope to get a chance to see the band play once live music is a reality again.
Some varied punk noise here with a fuzzed-out guitar tone and harmonic female vocals. Gets a bit too folksy at points, but some tunes really jam.
Tough guy metallic hardcore from Toronto with kind of “humorous” lyrics at times. Aggressive singing that sounds like it was raised on a diet of alternative rock radio.
Older style punk with synth. Seven songs in all, which are OK but the synth adds a “circus” atmosphere that detracts from the overall impact.
As you would be right to presume, BARREN SOIL do not play ’90s revival skacore; there aren’t any ska puns in their songs nor, as far as I can tell, any pork pie hats. Thank fuck for that. This Vancouver-based unit, as the grim and sadly realistic moniker gives away (a reference to a line from NAUSEA’s “Extinction”?), does not deal in cheerfulness—BARREN SOIL is an unstoppable metal crust bulldozer. We have been quite blessed (or cursed, depending on your point of view) with quality stenchcore music in the past couple of years, and this band definitely sits on the top shelf. This tape is their first recording, but the sound is amazing; it has a heavy, thick production but still keeps that specific nasty, dirty edge. The three-piece definitely knows what they are doing, and what they aim at creating and destroying with these eight songs (in fifteen minutes, an appropriate length for the genre). BARREN SOIL sounds like a brawl between deranged bears. It is an indelicate blend of NUCLEAR DEATH TERROR, mid 2010s CANCER SPREADING, and early ANGUISH, with grizzly vocals, some rotten, groovy FROST-like mid-paced bits, and even proper old-school blast beats, which I salute. So crusty it bites. I actually counted that the singer shouts the word “crust” six times on this recording, so there is one “crust” every 180 seconds on average (as a comparison, Oi! bands usually shout “oi!” every 55 seconds). Ace. The artwork, courtesy of Mike Roberts from GENOGEIST, fills the apocalyptic crust template to a T, too. This gem is a self-released tape, but it would certainly deserve a vinyl reissue. Now grab your crust pants and play this loud.
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.
Ugh. Absolutely killer demo from Pittsburgh’s BATTLEFIELDS. This is a straight ripper material, nasty hardcore with blown-out (un)production that approaches the off-putting level of discordance found on the amazing VIOLENT CHRISTIANS 7″ from last year (check out the damage on “You Made You”!). These are the kind of riffs that could incite riots, and the grimy delivery wins it the fuckin’ chef’s kiss. On repeat.
London punks with twelve tracks of fiery hardcore punk recorded in 2016. Forceful femme vocals that remind me of Agnes from HOMOMILITIA, though the music here is way more straight up and way more punk. Dueling guitars sound ripped from the late ’80s until moments of modern HC melodies make appearances. High-energy, driving intensity—enthusiastic approval.
Slow to mid-tempo punk with interesting guitar work. Lyrics cover vivisection, patriotism, war, “the system”, and other subjects. Good sentiments but gets a bit tedious.
Debut release from Naarm/Melbourne, Australia’s BEAT PANIC continues the dialogue about colonization and Aboriginal displacement in Australia, thusly giving name to the Kulin Nation of Naarm. This shows up more in the Bandcamp notes than what I can find in their lyrics, but something to recognize all the same. To the music: I didn’t know what I was going to find after the synth-only opener “Sprawl,” which is haunting and tender all at once. What follows is wonderfully rich, goth-tinged post-punk reminiscent of DAVE VANIAN AND THE PHANTOM CHORDS, especially the commanding yet reverb-hollow vocals. Definitely worth a listen—but hey, I was sold at Aussie post-punk.
First release from this streetpunk outfit hailing from the Netherlands, and with any luck it will be their last. Workmanlike riffs twinned with anaemic attempts at barked vocals, laced with a series of increasingly cringe-inducing film quotes; so far so modern streetpunk. Vague and indirect small “p” political lyrics railing against authority and lying politicians, not to mention the prerequisite football tune, and it’s nothing we haven’t heard one thousand times before. One to miss.
For a band with no synths, it’s uncanny how much BERLINER DOOM evokes a very specific moment of early ’00s art-damaged electro-punk—someone really needs to tear a rift in the time/space continuum so this lot can have the circa-2004 split 7” with LES GEORGES LENINGRAD or NUMBERS that they deserve. There’s twelve tracks on this debut EP, only two of which (barely) crack a minute, a literal dozen beyond-econo jams triangulated between cavernous, blown-out bass loops, no wave guitar strangulation, and rattling bare-bones beats, with deadpan femme vocals from bassist ARM intoned almost exclusively in German. I’m partial to the sparse and thoroughly Zickzack’d neo-Neue Deutsche Welle of “Zu Spät vorm Späti” and the budget dance punk sass of “Deine Libido,” but for extra credit, seek out the “extended radio edit” of “Alte Weisse Frau, Bitte Schön!” that they’ve made available online, and not just because they managed to work in lyrical references to both CULTURE BEAT and SONIC YOUTH!
BETTER LIVING’s vocals verge on the psychotic, and they’re enhanced by frantic, spastic instrumental outbreaks. I’ve got to say that this stuff is absolutely berserk and wonderful!
First and foremost, I am a big fan of this album art. Throw a couple skulls on your record cover and it’s an automatic spin from me. Artsy powerviolence out of Brooklyn—shocking, I know. Super groovy, and sounds similar to FUCKED UP’s Glass Boys (Slow Version). Has a Steve Albini edge to it, and reminds me a lot of heavier JESUS LIZARD/LAUGHING HYENAS. What really sets this 7′ apart from their peers is the guitar and bass work. Pummeling at times, but also noisy and dissonant. Treble-heavy bass sounds like it’s come straight from the ’90s, giving off a classic post-hardcore vibe. Guitar is noisy as all hell and reminds me of if WOLF EYES collaborated with Greg Ginn (at least during his late ’80s era when he tried playing jazz guitar). A fun little romp and well worth a spin.
A very NYHC sounding tape minus the metal damage. Lots of power, this knocks down the walls! Way rad.
Full speed ahead power punk and hardcore with quite a few innovative bits and jarring stops/starts and tempo changes. “One Track Head” is a mind-blowing standout.
Early-style punk with an emphasis on melody. Lyrically, I don’t know what’s going on, but the music sounds good.
Rockin’ garage punk with slight pop influences, but great unrefined sound. The lyrics are rebellious and presented in a good-hearted, humorous manner. A close comparison might be an early garage version of the DICKS. Watch for vinyl because these guys rock!
The murky guitar that opens “I Don’t Feel So Good” might make you think you’re in for some regurgitated goth, but that only lasts about fifteen seconds, and these New Jersey mutants offer so much more than that. The opening cut is a squirmy punk done damaged, raw shit just disassembled and tortured to the point where they (almost) sound scary. They do return to those dark undertones (guitar leads in “It’s A Trap,” for example), but the filthy stomp of “Kool” seems to personify the band: “I found out the truth, the truth about you / The truth is you don’t know you.” Only four songs here—all simple and nasty—but fortunately there’s a second tape lurking somewhere back in 2020.
BINGE KINGS announce their arrival with a 25-song collection of shit-fi garage punk tunes consisting of tinny guitar, drums, and snotty shouted vocals. Upon further listening, I think the drums are just one snare drum. It might actually be a bucket. In addition to the songs, there are seven skit tracks taken from movies, mostly centered around beer. The talent on display here is lacking—primitive power chord progressions with simple snare pounds could be great, but the songwriting is never that interesting. The vocals are by far the best part, and the confident full-throated yell works well over the high-tone practice amp aesthetic. It sounds like they were going for CARBONAS-style straight-ahead punk, but you gotta have the songs, man. “Windsor” stands out as a rough little gem with a melody that shines through the fuzz like the best LIQUIDS tracks. I know demos can be rough around the edges; the rawness and spontaneity are often an exciting statement of purpose. This one was a bit of a slog to get through.
A bunch of 13- and 14-year-olds, bored with the beauty of the Monterey peninsula, crank out some primitive, amateurish thrash. The production on this homemade tape is so bad that it’s hard to decipher the songs, but there’s plenty of compensatory youthful spunk. For fans of recording in a breadbox.
Fukkn brutal stench. No nuance here, no subtleties and no bullshit whatsoever, just ramshackle D-beat presented with no apologies, and it’s ugly as shit. Full endorsement.
Classic, well recorded thrash with excellent lyrics. The hallmarks here are the solid guitar work and the unusually gruff vocals. A good buy.
BLACK, now called BLACK FIELDS, present an enticingly raw and unrelenting garage sound that closely resembles a CRASS sound or LA’s YOUTH BRIGADE. Not thrash or chaos, but very energetic punches of staggering impetuous euphoria.
Hot thrash from this new Canadian outfit. Not too generic, personal lyrics, seems to be FLAG-influenced guitarwork, eight damn good tunes.
Ominous retro industrial dance/metal in the Wax Trax via Jourgensen tradition, with careful attention paid to the monstrous guitars and the deliberate Pretty Hate Machine pace. Teenage me would have fucking shit himself over these four songs.
Straightforward slow to mid-tempo punk with on-target political lyrics. Musically, this is nothing amazing, but the sentiments are appreciated.
Mid- to fast-paced punk tunes. While not thrash, they are really driving with lots of hooks and guitar power. Excellent production as well.
Metallish, hard rock-ish HC with tweedle-dee leads. Lyrically, I don’t know what’s going on, but they do have a song called “Suck My Cock.”
This midwest band plays punk metal. This five-song EP is sometimes screamo and sometimes sung vocals, with lots of musical chops and twists. Although I like somewhat similar bands like STRUNG OUT and PROPAGANDHI, as well as metal in general, this just sounds too generically thrashy for me.
Medium-to-fast snarling punk in a sort of SAMOANS style, without the thrash. And along with the older style punk comes older style punk lyrics. Can’t have everything, right? Good production; fun.
This wanders around the emo genre. Some songs are slow and jangly, teetering on indie rock. Other songs are uptempo guitar-heavy and almost have a HOT WATER MUSIC feel without the gruff vocals. Vocals are off-key at times but we’ll call that personality. This has its moments but some tighter arrangements would do some good here.
The experience of listening to this album is kinda like buying weed as a high-schooler. If you don’t know any better, a bag of schwag may not seem so bad, even if smoking it does leave you with a headache afterwards. If Good Time Noise serves as someone’s introduction to the wild and wacky genre that is punk rock, they could be forgiven for mistaking this as being decent, or even good. For me, it’s all stems and seeds. BLADEN MCLAUGHLEN + THE GOOD TIME BOYS can only be described as “boomer punk.” I have no idea if the band members are in fact boomers—nor do I care—but the songs they have committed to polycarbonate plastic substrate sound more dated than the medium on which they appear. One track begins with a George W. Bush sound clip, which is an odd choice of source material to sample in 2023, but I guess it relates to the song, which is titled “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” Pete Townsend would be rolling in his grave, were he not still alive. By and large, Good Time Noise is riddled with boring, mid-tempo drivel that is simultaneously over and under-produced, somehow. I’d have snoozed right through this one if the hoarse, grating vocals weren’t so darn loud. Most of the lyrics seem well-intentioned, but the title track is excruciatingly dumb, even for a drinking song. And then there’s the ode to Portland, Maine—a majestic place of stunning natural beauty that I now wish to avoid altogether for fear that this release is representative of its current punk scene. Yikes.
Chunky ’77-style punk from Northern Illinois. The speed is medium and the song structures are appealingly basic, but BLATANT DISSENT’s disarming live humor doesn’t really survive the transition to tape and their sporadically exciting guitar parts are unfortunately muffled by the bass-heavy recording here. More excitement needs to be generated next time.
Sounds like an American influenced skate/slam band. Mostly quick, forceful stuff, with some “heavy” sounds thrown in. Good stuff.
Here’s a basic angry punk attack similar to S.F.’s SICK PLEASURE, with fed-up, hateful lyrics. Sounds great if you’re totally pissed off.
The same BLIGHT as before, with Scott (ex-CRUCIFUCKS?) singing/chanting/growling instead of Tesco. Long, slow, painful dirges are their forte, and they deliver with all the ugliness of an extreme downer overdose. Watch out—they’re on tour now!
On their slower material, these guys remind me of the FUCK-UPS, with their older-style, bone-crunching punk attack. Most of the songs here follow in that mold, with a couple of thrashers, or at least with thrash breaks. Their lyrics tend to dwell pretty much on the negative, making the FUCK-UPS comparison even more valid.
A very powerful blast here. Who are these guys/gals and why doesn’t everybody know about them? This 14-song thrash rave comes incomplete without vocals, but who cares? Killer.
This is a hard-rocking power trio from Campobasso, Italy. There’s a nice primitive lo-fi sound to this that makes it all work and brings out the heaviness and energy that only a tight three-piece can have. They love heavy rock as well as punk and horror movies like an Italian band should. Maybe like a meaner, heavier GROOVIE GHOULIES listening to a lot of early BULLDOZER? Really was not expecting to like this but I find myself totally nodding along. “Passive Ways” and “Afraid of Losing Nothing” are my most bang-worthy moments here. Go on. Give it a chance.
A raw and eclectic set of songs on this EP. The opening track sounds like an homage to the KINKS, while later tracks are reminiscent of early cuts from THEE OH SEES or maybe some Paranoid Time-era MINUTEMEN. Although it may be hard to pinpoint the sound of this record, every song is still a lot of fun. What surprises me most about this EP is that it’s really groovy. Not in a peace-and-love kind of way, but a lot of the tracks are funky as hell in a JAMES CHANCE style. What’s not to like here? Punk ballads, scuzzy garage rock, and No Wave grooves. I’ll take some of that.
Yowl This one blisters! From start to finish, this is one long string of Pushead adjectives. Check it out!
Mostly fast thrash tunes here with a couple disjointed yet powerful numbers thrown in. Good stuff, but why no lyric sheet?
A combination of studio and live tracks. The songs are lonnnng, and I get bored pretty quickly due to the lack of invigorating, or even occasional jolting, musical aspects, If you’re into vocal/narrative primacy, this might be for you.
The graphics and leaflets that come with this flexi contribute to an admirable project. Both bands have a distinct message orientation, and the music is slowish, basic peace-punk—English style. While the songs are a little on the dull side, the themes of peace and individuality are still important ones.
While most of the songs on this tape are a bit too much on the melodic side for my taste, fans of more pop-punk (Á la SoCal sound, like aspects of SOCIAL DISTORTION, TSOL) will appreciate their approach. Well-produced.
OK, this little gem features no less than 46 songs, all varying in style, content, and quality. From C&W to the harshest HC, all aimed to pierce your skin. GG fans take note.
Unfortunately, this is not new material from this excellent rock’n’roll-tinged hardcore band from Japan. Instead, this is the DC-based band that’s been kicking around for a minute, offering up six tracks of punky political hardcore with spot-on lyrics. The songwriting is good, not great, and sticking mostly to moderate tempos and straightforward traditional song structures, though the closing track (“A Brief History of Genocide”) flirts with reggae in an interesting, CLASH-y way. The vocals are nice and clear, so one can understand the lyrics, all of which feature right-on takes on issues like internet-based political radicalization, environmentalism, and, of course, fuck Trump. Not a record that’ll set the world on fire, but a strong release with an excellent message to share.
OK, this is more like it. After all that clean-cut stuff I get stuck reviewing, this is “reality”—totally garaged-out, fuzzed-out, raw-as-shit production, noise central. Love it.
Another Philly area band that provides evidence that a lot is going on in the City of Brotherly Hate. They offer somewhat unoriginal thrash, but perform it well for a young band. The music here isn’t nearly as goofy as their picture in MRR #8.
Hot!! Blazing thrash with unique embellishments and male and female vocals. A dozen songs, good stuff!
Hot new tape from BODY CAM. Their flexi from a couple years ago was pretty great, and here they’re grimier and sharper than before. It’s three songs of whipping hardcore with rocking riffs and a dirty, distorted sound. The warped groove of “R.T.S.” is the winner for me here, but the whole thing rips. I’ll be looking out for more of this.
NO ONE’S PROPERTY is an undeniably English band, sporting mid-tempo songs with both a male and female vocalist. Well-done, well-produced, and to-the-point lyrics. BOMB CULTURE is a vocalist and rhythm machine combo, also with intelligent words. Both outfits are now, unfortunately, kaput.
This sounds like a live recording because it’s hard to pick out much detail. Nonetheless, B.I.U. deliver a strong thrash onslaught with thoughtful political lyrics. I’d like to see these characters get into a studio.
The debut tape by the most obnoxious band in the Bay Area contains covers of “Stayin’ Alive” and “Old McDonald Had A Farm” and annoying originals. Actually, these bozos are amusing, criticizing everything in sight.
I’m not sure what makes a truly good-sounding hardcore punk release. Sometimes people try too hard to ape their influences (sometimes that’s fine and good) and sometimes people fight too hard for modernity and originality, becoming unrecognizable from the original form (also fine, I guess). I feel comfortable saying that BOOFIN TYLENOL is a decent representation of good current hardcore punk. The influences are apparent (TAR BABIES and SST Records) without being overly paraded. Simple yet forward-thinking, all-around great playing, fast and aggressive, surprisingly melodic and refusing to be pigeonholed.
Speedy HC emphasizing a gritty, nasty, almost grainy sound which is quite effectively used on all four cuts. Lyrics are personal and rather chilling, making for a powerful slab of aggro.
Jeff says this is great garage punk that’s gonna end up on his Top 20 this issue. Jeff also says that BORN WITHOUT A FACE is a politicized version of the MEATMEN, and he loves their horror-movie moniker. So why the hell isn’t he writing this review?
A very hot tape, this one features 18 mostly mid-tempo hardcore assaults on all things evil. There’s a lot of power here, delivered with authority. The vocal sound is scary and raspy, adding to the overall atmosphere. Very well done and well recorded.
Great, rawly produced four-song EP from this abrasive band. The guitar is at full blast and grinds away at mid-tempo with a demanding floor-trembling sound, when mixed with the notable vocals and one-two-one-two drum beat. A powerful release.
The pop-punk on this 45 shows more of a vocal orientation in the melodies and background choruses, but the guitar sound is sharp and interesting. “Där Tiden Inte Stämmer,” a commentary on South Africa, is especially bracing. Fine record.
Self-described “funny punk,” but it’s got more of a creepy-crawl feel to it. This slow, punchy, lurching rhythmic music, with the vocals mixed way clear, sounds like it should be from Texas or Louisiana. Maybe it’s the proximity of that hot Mexican sun.
Slightly quirky thrash and pop that’s .:. .:.. .. . ….:.. .:. … ::. ..::. .:.. So check it out.
How do you suppose two such bodypart and fluid “bag” bands from opposite sides of the world came to know each other and share a slab of vinyl? A random internet search? A blind “Hey, I think you’d dig my other bag’ friend” sorta thing? Dunno, but lucky for us, this SLC and Auckland match came to fruition and even a US tour at some point. New Zealand’s BLOOD BAGS (they use the S bags moniker?) play a much less druggy and less noisy CHROME CRANKS and SCIENTISTS meets KYUSS swagger flavored dirge. It’s damn decent and “Quivering Violence” is pretty rageworthy. That’s all fine and nice but let’s talk about SLC’s BRAIN BAGZ (thats with a Z, folks). Totally unoriginal CRAMPS and MAD DADDYS worship but they’re young, they pound, they stomp and they love love love what they do. I have zero real clue but it’s a total delinquent-like feeling and that fuzz is just lovely and the lysergic beeps and squawks are all timed just right. “Look a Bit Sick,” “Dracula Sam,” “Haunted”…so tired right? But no! This shit kills and not a limp tune in the pack. Worthy much very of your time! (Not a typo.) Primitive.
After an impressively ominous intro, I really wanted Ontario’s BRAIN ITCH to come out raging…but the tension they created with their solid, mid-paced metallic UK punk chug wound me up so fukkn tight that when the opening title track did finally, mercifully, unload….? Well, it was awesome. Five blasts on Forced To Pay, landing somewhere between hard-churning Motörpunk and that 1-2-1-2 doopa doopa that personifies most of the last decade of North American hardcore punk. This is their third tape in as many years—all short, all sweet, all killer….and not an ounce of filler.
On BRAVE NEW WORLD’s tape, uplifting and intelligent lyrics about overcoming our societal problems are coupled with intense, driving, middle-paced music. The result is a punk/post-punk combo that hits home—they’re abrasive, musical, disturbing, and different.
Fucking brutal! Totally aggro cutthroat NYHC with some metallic licks thrown in. Lyrics are in the pissed off/fed up vein. Ferocious shit!
Three things are critical to enjoying this album: you must love (like love) I Don’t Want to Grow Up, you must at least strongly enjoy How to Make Enemies and Irritate People, and you must be open minded to accepting new melodic pop punk bands into your life. These three Peruvians living in the US create pogo pop that’s just and fun as it is standard, and the path of this record is well-worn by many RAMONES-obsessed kids before them. But you can’t deny this is a fun record. The songs are great, and if your heart still flutters at the mention of ’90s Lookout!, you’ll be dancing to this!
Seven original cuts of straight-ahead street rock and a by-the-numbers NEGATIVE APPROACH cover. BRIX! keeps things moving along at a brisk pace, which I appreciate. None of the songs crack the two-minute mark, and they play faster than many bands that they might be compared to. While not as refined as CONSERVATIVE MILITARY IMAGE, these lads are cooking with a few of the same ingredients, blending hardcore and Oi! As expected, the vocals are gravely with plenty of gang chants throughout. A touch of pub rock influence creeps in, culminating in a lifted “Back In Black” lick at the end of their eponymously titled song “Brix!”—I could’ve done without that, but it is instructive. They don’t sound like AC/DC, but they do sound like the kind of band that would randomly break into a tired AC/DC riff.
They’re from Venice. Guess what they sound like? Right, metal/HC with not too much happening lyrically. Not the worst thing I’ve heard and not the best. Mediocre.
Varied punk with a number of influences from this East Coast all-girl outfit. Three songs, all pretty good.
Pretty cool hyper aggressive thrash produced by this Florida three-piece. The band’s method for success is to play as fast as possible, slip in several clever speed changes, and spit out a clean, pissed-off vocal style. Fifteen ragers that are simple in nature, but have the ability to make an impact.
Assorted forms of experimentation can be found on this indie tape by the BUCKETS. There’s repetitious guitar figures, quasi-industrial noise, flowing classical fugues, primitive blasts Á la SENSELESS HATE—you name it, it’s on here, except for rocking beats. Op and Another Room should be able to make more sense of it.
This is the debut 12” from BUG out of Victoria, British Columbia. With their earnest and romantic sound, the songs are reminiscent of ’90s grunge and indie with a pinch of deathrock stirred in. Warbled vocals with an obnoxious punk affectation deliver poetic lyrics over eleven tunes that could possibly pass as lost entries from the earlier Sub Pop catalog. It’s the kind of thing that would have found an enthusiastic audience on a property located directly between the Lollapalooza and Warped Tour admission gates. Check out “Heads are Gonna Roll” for one of the finer moments here.
Youthful hardcore from Newport, RI. So many aspects of this feel instantly familiar even upon a first listen. The songs feel as though I’ve heard them many times before. I’m not sure if that means they’re particularly good, or just really well re-written punk songs. Six originals and a NEGATIVE APPROACH cover.
Sports bar hard rock / safe metal with occasional pop aspirations. Not punk in the slightest. Been a long while since I dipped my toes in this sickly pond, but the stench here jogs my memory enough to cringe. Capably performed with pro-production slickness, but sadly imparting zero edge and negative soul. Hard pass.
Every once in a while, someone comes out of nowhere that doesn’t sound like anybody else. There are “Bat Cave” overtones here, but the music pile-drives along with ten times the balls of any SISTERS OF SEX SPECIMEN. The artwork is pretty deadly as well. If you’re lucky, their guitarist might send you a demented chalk sketch or two.
I was totally blown away by this one. With the quasi-religious cover drawing, I was expecting some devil drone wank, but instead I was treated to a sledgehammer-style thrash band that is mostly female! Should be a 7″ out soon!
It looks like this New York City-area band has been playing in some form or another since at least 2003. They’re even playing the long-gone Continental club in their Discogs photo, and like many of the bands coming out of that club, they play a version of swaggering, shaggy-headed rock’n’roll, but in a lukewarm manner. It’s not awful…sorta…maybe like elements of the HEARTBREAKERS, HUMPERS, ELECTRIC CHAIRS, and (ugh) the DOORS. Imagine the background band for a schlocky movie bar fight scene. Really, it’s just OK and won’t make you wander from your bar conversation, making a nice background hum for your life story being told once again to your other coked-up friend. Another round, bartender!
Moments like this are exactly why it’s such a pleasure to review records for Maximum Rocknroll. BUTTERFLY are a long-running traditional Japanese hardcore band (first album released in 2005) that I’ve never heard or even heard of before, and they absolutely destroy! This is exactly what you want to hear when you’ve got an itch for burly, aggressive, and uniquely Japanese hardcore punk. The backbone is hard rocking hardcore Á la TETSU ARREI plus touches of GASTUNK-style melodrama, with crazy over the top guitar solos, some of which are double-tracked in the style of DEATH SIDE. Singer Nora stands out as the female analogue of Tokurow of BASTARD, or Butaman of aforementioned TETSU ARREI: ultra-tough, but musical as well—super impressive! Really though, every member of the band gets to shine, especially drummer Tsukasa, whose playing has a creative jazzy feel that produces some unexpected and very catchy results. To top it all off, this self-produced CD includes excellent, if menacing, artwork by the rising multimedia artist Mega!
Punky indie rock from New York. Mid-tempo stuff that has a TOO MUCH JOY, ARCHERS OF LOAF, and even WEEZER feel. Lyrically they are witty and funny, and the vocals can get slightly off-key. This was OK, but that’s about it.
Space-age sounds for punks who dig commercial rock radio but also love HAWKWIND. Ohio’s BWAK DWAGON lose me on tracks like “The Underworld” and “Demeter” (unfortunately, these two run back to back) when they stay slow and subdued, but the weirdness dominates even on ’80s alt radio/proto darkwave trax like “Evergreen.” This band would have opened for SCREAMING TREES in 1987.
Garage-y punk with enough variation and intelligence to set it apart from the pack. Good sentiments and catchy tunes.
Their name translates as “Creative Chicken Fuckers,” and if that isn’t enough to get you to buy this, then the music will be. Awesomely fast and powerful thrash that’s both non-metallic and creative. Contains songs both in Dutch and English, and from the latter one can discern their radical political bent. 20 songs.
A split tape of England’s AD NAUSEAM and Holland’s CKN. Both bands rip, though both the sound quality and depth in power and proficiency of AD NAUSEAM is superior. Good listening.
Ten fast, aggressively raw guitar thrash songs combined with a deep, pounding drum beat. Each is constructed of speedy chaotic riffs which are interspliced with slower tempos. A young band, but they have the ability to punch it out. Good first effort.
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.
On this release, CAGE KICKER from Berlin plays angry and vicious—yet catchy, pogo-y, and stompy at the same time—’80s USHC/UK82-style punk. Endless circle pits with pogo-ing, I believe Parasitic Future is where the rare, bilateral agreement between the society of circle pitting hardcore and pogo-ing punks occur.
Relentless hardcore punk from Berlin, Germany. This is everything a punk demo should be. It’s fast, it’s pissed, it’s catchy, it’s short which leaves you wanting more. I want more! Oh, so much more! CAGE KICKER seems to hate many of the same things I hate; cops, organized religion, money, prison. What’s not to love about this demo? Pardon me, I have to flip this over and listen to it again being that CAGE KICKER might be my new favorite band.
What it says on the tin. Gender critique over blastbeats followed by a faithful rendition of a punk rock standard. Personally, I think covers are best reserved for live shows. However, this version is fine, but omitting the rapid-fire bass notes during the bridge’s opening? Really?! The aforementioned blastbeats sound best when played to the verge of pure noise, so when the band appears to ease off the pedal, I believe something is lost. Maybe it’s the production’s fault? I recommend using much crappier equipment and burying the result in your backyard for a few weeks.
Well, this is interesting. This is the second record I’m reviewing this weekend that has a distinct industrial rhythm; this is a compliment. In a sense, it’s similar to the way SADIST does it, but this is more like RESTARTS or RANCID meets MALIGNANT TUMOUR. Tone is sort of street punk though, with more death metal crust vocals. CALL THE COPS from Italy play breakdown hardcore with a pogoing street punk stance. I have no idea why you would ever even hint at CALL(-ing) THE COPS, but perhaps there is something not translating for me. Other jams swing with an Italian Oi! flavor and melodic bounce. CALL THE COPS can sing. There are a lot of samples throughout, and they are all interesting and unique political statements—I’m not talking ’90s movie quotes, more like interviews. CALL THE COPS have a lot going on, from the melancholy intros to downright grizzly street crust. There is a traditional old European folk sound to their album that is sincere and not overly sentimental. Sixteen tracks of malicious mohawked hardcore punk. A powerful fourth outing from CALL THE COPS.
Fiery Colorado crust with near-constant vocals in line with Japanese greats and almost too many leads. Two solid D-beat bangers and one stoner/grind ripper, but the breakneck “Bastards Will Pay” steals the show here, noteworthy because it’s the track where they seem to burst out of their comfort zone and really unleash. Recording is appropriately raw, and CALTROPS fall in line with late ’90s US political crust, which is a compliment.
This unlikely effort incorporates elements of garage pop and ska, combined with a satirical punk attitude; the result is subtly entertaining. While CVB could increase their energy level a bit, the band’s intelligence and offbeat humor come through in tracks like “Lassie” and “Take the Skinheads Bowling.” Pleasant.
CANCEROUS GROWTH deliver fairly unoriginal thrash and slower hardcore with quite a bit of gusto. They’re pretty tight, but more of their own personality needs to evolve. I especially like the guitar work.
A live tape that has its pluses and minuses. The drumming is really strong, the guitar raw, and the vocalist rivals CAPITOL PUNISHMENT’s for lowest range around. Drawbacks include the mix and the somewhat “heavy” aspects of many tunes. Still, it’s crude and powerful.
The A-side is a good power-punk song with some metal licks, while the flip is a metal song with some punk influences. I obviously prefer the top side, but both have appeal.
Ian MacKaye-ish vocals, accompanied by crude, fairly standard buzzsaw thrash. CAPITLE play well, but they never really cut loose.
This Bay Area band has been around for a few years and have built up a small, but growing and devoted following. Musically, it’s a tough call but I’ve a sneaking suspicion these folks think the BUTTHOLE SURFERS are too wimpy and normal. A good taste of their weirdness, and each tape comes especially packaged — some packed in chopped onions, others in old nylon stockings.
This is a funny one for me. From Sweden, these guys deliver a version of melodic punk rock that has guitar elements that remind me of both the STOOGES and SOCIAL DISTORTION, though definitely a little softer. It’s got a very 1977 sound to it. It’s mid-tempo and catchy, and the production is crisp without sounding overproduced. That said, there’s a metal/glam thing in some of the vocals that almost reminds me of hair bands, like POISON. The jury is still out on this one.
Blistering thrash with positive, idealistic lyrics. This is one of the best new bands I’ve heard since DRI. CAUSE FOR ALARM have the type of intense, committed attack that leaps out of the speakers and slaps you in the face to get your attention; then they get you thinking. You can’t expect any more from a punk band, so don’t ignore this EP.
A very “noisy” tape, as production facilities in the Third World appear to suffer as much as the people. CÁ”LERA are a very bass-heavy band with lots of buzzing guitar and clear vocals—even I can understand some of the Portuguese. Most tracks here are in the mid- to fast-paced punk style, and they have strong political lyrics.
Six-track cassette from this lo-fi, female-fronted fast-paced post-punk/garage band from Chicago, with a touch of Aussies AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS in the intention and style of vocals. “Clock Me Out” is the choice track, creating the right amount of progression—sick bass line and tasty clocking guitars. Give ‘em a listen.
Grimy, nasty, ten-song demo cassette from Western Michigan. Mostly meandering around at a snail’s pace, CELL RUSH comes across incredibly primal, plodding from riff to riff, staying in the mid-tempo realm of noisy hardcore punk music. They do speed up from time to time on a couple songs, but it’s usually followed by an even more stripped-down slow part. They really hit their full speed during one of the more memorable tracks, “All-American Nosferatu.” Something about this recording makes me feel very unsafe, like I’m being stalked and someones going to jump out at me from beyond the next corner. Very nasty.
On this love recording of fantastic sound quality, CERESIT delivers an onslaught of some of the best Euro-hardcore I’ve heard lately. Original, powerful, great! Get this!!
Crunching metallic punk of the Midwest variety. Most of the lyrics are good, and occasionally even unique (as in the title song). They also send out an informative monthly newsletter.
These guys have a knack for extremely clever punk arrangements, and demonstrate a good hand for satiric lyrics, as well. I only wish the ultra-boring guitar solos had been excised from these boisterous and intelligent mid-to-fast-tempo punk tunes. “Spontaneous Human Combustion” is a pop-punk near-classic.
Strong crash-and-bang stuff here, with lyrics in German and English. Impressive, with lots of drive and power, especially on “Weibt Du Est?”
BROKEN THINGS plays straight pop punk that feels like the ’90s. Their first song is reminiscent of SICKO. Super poppy, pretty catchy, but maybe not catchy enough. Also, that organ is too much. The second song is a little more JAWBREAKER-ish, but without any of the guts. Also, you brought that organ back at the very end? Why? There is a third song that you get digitally. It’s in the same vein, but maybe better than the other two. CHANGER does two songs as well. I’m pretty sure that this is what SUM 41 sounded like (or still does?), add in some heavy part that I think is what passes for “emo” in modern culture, and there you have a giant turd. I do appreciate that they ask people to be kind to animals.
A fairly professional and distinctive effort for a band that just came out of nowhere. The CHAPPAQUIDDICK PLUS FIVE deliver very tight punky mod stuff with varying tempos, melodies, numerous subtleties, and an emphasis on singing. Depending on the cut, that approach can be a strength or a weakness.
A three-song tape that’s got those raspy, ragged Minnesota vocals, backed by some fairly standard but competent thrash. Good for a start.
As an instantly addictive collection of references, the opening salvo from CHARDONNAY offers a journey far more advanced than a mere listening experience. You want high praise? I thought about HAWKWIND, WIPERS and COMPLICATIONS in the first track alone, and when they settled down into a barrage of gravel-voiced emotion, I found myself liking them even more. Self-described “LSD-beat” from New Orleans, this release is probably more rock and less fire than I would normally request, but damn the tunes are just gold throughout. It’s good to branch out from time to time…
This band has got it going on with the band name CHARGED D.I.S. They play a calamity of noise, with strange samples, awkward graphics, D-beat rhythms, classic riffing, and a warbled recording with from-the-throat singing. A lot of the constant sampling is children crying. I can hardly read the song titles, but I’m pretty sure they include “Killing” and “Humans.” The demo insert folds out and suggests you “cut here” (at the dotted line) “and hang” a (miniature) poster design. That’s just funny. It is of a larger gas-masked figure marionetting a smaller gas-masked figure with the header “D New World Graves.” There are also graves in the image. I’m hoping CHARGED D.I.S. made like ten of these and I’m now rich, because I could see that happening. Play this for your dog, see what happens. D.I.S. FTW.
A sonic trash compactor squeezing the life out of all of their predecessors, CHAT PILE takes HELMET’s ability to riff and churn and BIG BLACK’s harsh industrial punk bent and manages to make it simultaneously inaccessible and infectious. I’m talking about a goth PAILHEAD or a black metal drum machine NIRVANA here, and it’s dragging me back to a completely different place and melting my mind. Both of the band’s 2019 cassette releases are to be put to wax by Reptilian soon, and I think the large scale format will suit them extremely well. And for the record, “chat” is a mining byproduct that has rendered parts of Northeastern Oklahoma toxic that belong to Native tribes and were destroyed by white capitalists. So a “chat pile” is a very repugnant thing…and that kinda sums up their sound.
The second demo by this mysterious Arizona band, playing a variety of styles from straightedge HC to rap to synth silliness to speedmetal, making fun of everyone and everything, except the Master Cheez, of course. Rad shit.
A rough garage-quality tape of basic melodic thrash with fairly intelligent lyrics. Given time and decent production, these guys will be good.
Poppy rock-cum-punk. Sometimes it clicks well, as in the great garage punk title track, but more often it leans too much towards commerciality. It’ll be interesting to see which direction they more in.
Melbourne band CHILDREN OF SORROW existed for a short time during the mid-’80s and played moody hardcore anarcho-punk that bites similar to T.S.O.L. Thundering bass that struts and slams comes from a double layer of bass and fretless bass (that’s right, there’s no six-string guitar jangle in here), while vocalist David “Ossie” Eldridge unleashes a vocal assault that ranges from a Jack Grisham-sounding delivery to all-out hardcore mayhem. Songs shift from mid-tempo to lightspeed in the time it takes to blink. This 12″ is packaged with a lyric sheet and a four-page zine documenting the band’s history that includes photos and gig flyers. The thunderous bass and drum work is perfect for Neanderthal pacing, but when the speedy sections hit, you’ll need to be prepared for crashing into everything around you. Needless to say, this is a brilliant document of a lesser-known band that is worthy of a longstanding position in everyone’s collection!
Two former members of thrashers STARVATION ARMY and another group called PARIS IN THE SPRING team up again (one on vocals, the other on all instruments), this time to produce some ominous, dirge-like STOOGES material. I found it somewhat less than moving, as is usually the case with studio projects.
This Ohio band is two guys—one sings, the other plays all the instruments. Hints of CHROME, but it’s more like the SOFT BOYS or early PINK FLOYD. Psychedelic.
Absolute monster release from DC trio CHILL PARENTS—a steady, four-on-the-floor hardcore hybrid that’s heavy and relentless. I realize that as a generational subgenre, this is not unusual, but it still strikes me when I hear modern anthemic hardcore/punk mingling with early ’90s Sub Pop hooks. I prefer when the band opens up (see “Dissipate”). but it’s the contrast that sets them apart (see “Migraine”). Only 25 copies on cassette, but there’s a CD, too (and a digital version of course, because it’s 2023).
Straightforward hardcore punk that strays the line somewhere between MOTÖRHEAD and MELT BANANA. This is definitely a rough mix. The drums often overpower everything else and the vocals can’t be heard a lot of the time, but it’s hardcore so who really cares anyway? It’s all about the aggression and intensity, and there is plenty to be found on this EP.
These kids get more fierce with each release. Fast, nasty hardcore punk from Pittsburgh, CHILLER kills it with the breakdowns, drop the leads in where they belong, front everything with ’80s Midwest HC vocal intensity, and they barely pass the 60-second mark in the process. “Whistler” is my choice cut with its disjointed riff and disorienting beat, but there are no bad choices here.
“Bad trip” music in a noise/psych/jazzy vein, designed to put you in a very unpleasant mood. If you were already there in the first place, put CHOIR OF PAIN on and you won’t feel alone anymore.
Yeah! These guys are right on target; ferocious punk and thrash with angry lyrics slagging sexist goons, vigilantes, homophobes, and other lamos. Cool stuff, keep it up! Booklet enclosed.
Spunky teenage hardcore from Connecticut. CHRONIC DISORDER blast out fast semi-thrash punk which is infused with a garage aesthetic, youthful Rotten-esque vocals, and common sense. A real appealing limited edition debut.
Perhaps not as continuously energetic as their fabulous debut EP, but CHRONIC DISORDER still manages to connect with some impassioned thrashers like “Eileen’s” and “I See Red.” My favorite, however, is a whacked-out send-up of JOY DIVISION’s “Isolation” (“Point/Counterpoint”), that shows this band to be quite versatile indeed.
A hot, clean-sounding speedcore release with tempo changes galore. Lyrically, Satan doesn’t show his face, but personal politics do. A smoking tape from this Bay Area outfit.
This is a viciously intense and powerful tape—it’s a full-out, superbly recorded 18-song onslaught of thrash at its best.
Vicious, ultra-fast thrash not unlike early D.R.I. If you’re an insane mega-thrasher, this tape is definitely for you.
The cover of CHURCH CLOTHES’ debut splashed in rootsy, faded psychedelia doesn’t adequately prepare listeners for the flush and vibrant hardcore demonstration it holds inside. This NYC act weaves a tough tapestry of hardcore with inflections of both classic ’80s and grungy ’90s styles, with all four members of the group pouring all of their power into the songs. While fairly standard in structure, these tunes shine with organic fury, and a loose cannon lead guitar pulls things into a wild, psychedelic direction at times, lending a little “truth in advertising” to that trippy cover. Dig it.
Although these dudes are pretty sedate compared to modern HC outfits, they play some enjoyable twangy garage punk. The lyrics dwell on personal and political matters and “War Heroes” is destined to be an underground classic.
Head-on thrash that reminds me of the LA style a couple of years ago. It’s fast, but not like the ultra-fast Boston-type thrash that predominates today. There’s also a trace of FLIPPER noise here. I hope they release something soon.
Impregnated by an orgy of thrash from across the world, Australia shoves forth one of its first high-speed rocketing barrages in the form of CIVIL DISSIDENT. Wild, uncontrolled quickness charges into a screaming fracas of blaring guitars and brawling drum snacks, stinging sharply with missiling vocals and catapulting this nitro-packed projectile head-on to chaotic dilapidation. This rates up there with the current crop of torpedoing intensity that fills this brain’s excitement.
Really well done charging thrash. Good lyrics, lots of anger, some metal guitar damage and tough vocals. Check it out.
This French band has put together an impressive package with photo cards and cover booklet. The single is right in the JOY DIVISION, early NEW ORDER, experimental vein, although “Santa Maria” is a little more rockin’. I know this doesn’t sound great, but they’re not bad. Needs more edge to make me happy, though.
Supremely funky debut LP from this D.C. group of dance-punks. Made up of bass, drums, bongos, and two vocalists, CLEAR CHANNEL combines the best ingredients of funk, post-punk, and new wave into a unique, irresistible mix. “Hello Disko” sounds like Lydia Lunch fronting the B-52’S in the best way, all moaning vocals, bobbing bass, and disco beats. “B.B.I.” is a dubby exploration with soulful singing that reminds me of TV ON THE RADIO in the falsetto parts. “Maria” could be a ’60s R&B classic re-recorded by a punk band. It’s great. Then comes “Hot Fruit,” a funky, kinda dirty jam that deserves a place in the novelty song history books. If you want people to get up and move at your next party, put on “Hot Fruit.” I’m planning a mix tape around it as I write this. The record ends with the title track that turns up the drama with theatrical call-and-response vocals and the same grimy disco vibe from the opening. This is dance music by punks, kind of like DUB NARCOTIC SOUND SYSTEM, in attitude at least. Check it out—the most purely enjoyable record I have heard in a while.
The singer of this band has a vibrato to their voice much like Marissa from SCREAMING FEMALES, though in a much higher register. Musically they really nail that despondent, anxiety-ridden post-punk sound. In the first track they loop into a repetition of the haunting lyrics “time’s wastin’” for what feels like a full minute. Man, the guitar on the second track “Insight” sounds so fucking cool. Something about this band just feels so grown-up. They’ve got a harmonium, three-part vocal harmonies, and so much distortion. I hear a lot of TERRIBLE FEELINGS here, too. This band is incredibly smart, mature, and talented. Hope to hear a lot more from them.
Debut EP from Toronto-based CLOUDAGE, a feel-good indie set that will have you hooked straight away or leave you spitting up sugary-sweet melodies, depending on your preference for this type of thing. There are fleeting moments of edginess that help cut the sweetness where the backing vocals chime in, and you may feel compelled to nod along. While acoustic guitar strums mix with electric guitar and bass distortion over upbeat drums, the vocals are clearly the focus here: a barrage of narrative lyrics to pull at your memories of breakups and heartache, hardly stopping for a breath, evening singing through outros with “ooh”s and “la da da”s. There’s an homage to Ad-Rock from the BEASTIE BOYS, “Ad-Rock You’re So H”—and is that meant to be ambiguous? Hard? Heavy? Whatever. The closer “Stay Pure” pokes fun at their style with the line “Let bygones be bygones / Don’t turn pain into poetry / To hold onto in sad songs;” a genuine and self-effacing sentiment that may be the thread throughout this four-song debut.
A seven-song release from this up-and-coming SF band, most of which are thrash. There’s a heaviness to their sound, which becomes even more apparent on the two slower numbers, powerful post-punk dirges. Dave (ex-JERRY’S KIDZ from Albuquerque) sounds good, and the band is tight and strong, though I think the super-clean production here detracts a bit from their normally noise-intense live performance standard. A band to watch.
Blasting grind insanity that asks more questions than it answers. The keyboards are understated, but give this Minneapolis outfit an occasional mainstream black metal sound that is a sharp contrast to the abrasive atonal machine-gun blast attack that dominates most of the tracks. Like PG.99 and SOCKEYE combining forces to cover KVIST…a truly weird collection of instrument/alists (eight of them…? Maybe?)…or maybe a one-person bedroom project. Songs include “Meat Fukkr,” Man Bun in the Oven” and “Circle of Sodomy,” which should get you headed in the right direction. I made it to the last track, “Dick Chisel,” and I’m still trying to figure out what I’m listening to…which is absolutely a compliment.
The eponymous debut full-length, from the brain of singer/songwriter/guitarist Ali Gavan. I’d previously heard of him as the producer and engineer of ROBB JOHNSON, so it only makes sense that he’d put his own prodigious talents to work on original material. Full of (political) venom, snot, snark, and bite, COCKWOMBLE present themselves as if SCREECHING WEASEL or early PROPAGANDHI were performing a HUMPERS tribute set. Equal parts melodic pop punk, garage-y rock’n’roll, biting political satire, and black humor. What more could you ask for (other than the next ROBB JOHNSON long player, of course)?
How about a grungy country rock tune that sounds like an outtake of STIV BATORS singing with the DREAM SYNDICATE?
With their scary/humorous moniker, I was expecting metal, but these dudes play some cool straightforward mid-tempo to slow punk tunes. Strong material.
Carrboro, NC band of scene veterans that plays SUPERCHUNK-style indie punk with some fuzz-psych and hardcore sprinkles. Tracks like “Cactus Wife” and “North Pole South” are catchy, likeable noisy pop that you could throw on at a backyard BBQ with no complaints. “Fast Fash Treasure Island” branches out with some Kim Gordon-esque vocals and a sneaky lead line that gives a hint of what’s to come. “Fixedair” and “Penelope” are swirling psych excursions with fuzz tunnels and submerged cave-in vocals. Then, as a surprise, COLD CREAM goes hardcore for the last two, channeling the melodic end of HÜSKER DÜ. Upbeat and enjoyable CD with enough experimentation for repeat listening.
Jangly acoustic punk, but sometimes more fuzzed-out. The accent here is on melodies, good smooth stuff, but the vocals are a bit annoying.
A pretty well-developed band, mixing punk and HC with some slow doomy breaks, metallish licks, a fair amount of innovation, and lyrics dealing with ignorance, the arms race, and personal subjects. Good stuff.
High-energy US hardcore punk with a nice greater Bay Area vibe—I’m thinking somewhere between ECONOCHRIST and BL’AST. They never unleash, but the guitars sound like they are constantly fighting to get out of a cage, and the vocalist earns the mid-era FLAG comparisons likely heaped upon him from listeners and watchers. The more I listen, the more I like it.
Great stuff from the UK again. Potent riffs with power and might, featuring a great distorted guitar sound that grinds with an echoing feedback. Raunched-out vocals, with a strong bass and good drum hooks, brings this effort into a fast paced charge of exciting melodies in the vein of early GBH or newer ENGLISH DOGS. With this being a four-songer, hopefully vinyl will soon follow.
CONDITIONS APPLY aren’t especially catchy, but their songs still have a memorable, infectious quality, like a chant at a St. Pauli game. The drums deliver a martial beat while the guitars and vocals follow suit: three, maybe four chords barely identifiable under the distortion and rumbling bass. The lyrics include the usual suspects of left-wing punk grievances, but honestly, even the party song sounded like an angry screed.
This release is among the very few best new music. I stopped being optimistic about wonderful-demo bands but dealing with the present, this tape is the essence of great radikal hardcore. It is falling apart between the battle of enthusiasm and pace, therefore it’s as urgent as it grabs and drags you; anger-based total chaotic music from Chile that recalls manics like WRETCHED and ANTI-DOGMATIKSS or the bands and their collective sonic mind fuck of La Ciudad Podrida Vol. I comp or ephemeral group VIXENS. CONDUCTA ERRÁTIKA is unique because they recall and not replay the aforementioned names. Either they understand or relive equivalent frustrating conditions that they are able to translate to music in a similar approach but indistinguishable style. Therefore their music becomes free of the burden of the history of hardcore since it does not have to fit into any templates. The music is raw and careless, raging in each track, its purpose is to create noise that here equals reprisal. The quality of the recording coats each number well, and tells about the circumstances of the band. Everything here integrates into one swirling thunder that aimlessly rumbles. This tape embodies CONDUCTA ERRÁTIKA via all possible features. This is the noise of their lives and I am happy they share it with us. Highly recommended.
Busting out of Lehigh Valley, PA comes CONTROLLER with their debut full-length release after two cassette tape releases. This is heavy hardcore, with heavy emphasis on the word “heavy.” This LP is packed to the brim with stomping riffs to get your blood boiling. There’s also a pretty strong thrash metal influence in several of these tunes. And, of course, an ungodly amount of guitar divebombs. Exactly what you’re looking for in music like this. If you like your hardcore much more on the metal side, you could certainly do much, much worse than The True Sense of Strength Within. Recommended.
Put members of ADRENALIN O.D. and STUPIDS in a studio together for 14 minutes, and you get no less than 22 songs full of wacky confusion, sure craziness, intense energy, and an overabundance of good humor. Very spontaneous and rough, but funny as shit.
An Australian psychobilly group that shouldn’t be confused with the old DOLLS offshoots whose album was recently—and posthumously—released. These guys have a piercing instrumental attack and wild vocals, but the song structures are a little too derivative to really get today’s kids stompin’ on each others’ blue suede shoes. It’s still rockin’, though, so go for it if you like to howl.
A great new demo from this Bay Area outfit. Blazing HC with a metallic tinge backed with intelligent personal lyrics make this a must. Great sound quality, a nice package, and lyrics included, for only…
A short tape consisting of five rapid fire stop-and-go thrash bursts with machine gun drumwork. Lyrically, war and conformity are the focal points. A darn swell tape.
Probably the most intense, tight, ripping act from SoCal since EXCEL, who seem to be a big influence. In fact, I’d say a number of “metalphobes” could get into these guys because of their sheer intensity. Wild.
Four injections of ultra-simple punk from Mexico. A serious MISFITS hair up their ass, thrift store synths polluting the damn joint, and gruff bedroom vocals half singing/half barking…my knuckles are sore and I’m down about 40 brain cells…but I’ll be damned if “G” isn’t a top song.
Short synth punk demo from Mexico that often sounds like Tim Armstrong singing karaoke. The first track has Nintendo keyboards with gruff Spanish-language vocals. It’s way too slick and toothless for me. The third track, named as the Cancer zodiac symbol, is the turning point from keyboard oddity to punk. It’s a heartfelt street-punk song that doesn’t sound too far from RANCID’s best, with sparkling keys on top. The repeated line “Time heals, some might say all those years that are gone now” gives it a wistful, nostalgic feeling, and is worth repeat plays. “Cosme,” the last track, is the most traditional, fast punk song here and ends the tape on an anthemic, fist-pumping high. I would listen to another tape from COSME, but I definitely prefer the second half to the first.
Four rather ferocious tunes here, fast angry punk with spastic high pitched vocals. Pretty hot twisted material.
Biting early DYLAN-like lyrics meet HENDRIX-like psych/noise meets blues/folk and BIAFRA. Check it out.
These Iowa noisey garage punkers channel equal parts CRIME, the OBLIVIANS, and most directly JON SPENCER BLUES EXPLOSION. It’s not as horrible as you’d think from the awful band name and cover art, but ain’t all that either. Give it a spin if you dare.
While this seems to have begun as a COVID project, CRASH THE SUPERYACHT from London, UK has remained pretty busy. After releasing four digital EPs, they now enter the world of physical releases, and it’s with a full-length cassette. Nine songs of lo-fi indie pop. Simplistic and catchy.
I’ll be honest with ya, I put this cassette aside while doing my reviews for the month fully expecting it to be the real stinker of the bunch. To my surprise, CRÜX DECUSSÄTA proves the old adage “don’t judge a demo by its cringe-worthy artwork” to be true. Three songs of rip-roaring speed metal, with the final one being a weird hybrid of “Highway Star” by DEEP PURPLE and “Victims of the Vampire” by SLAUGHTER AND THE DOGS. I enjoyed the first two songs, both complete with their SLAYER-style high-pitched-scream dive-bombing before dissipation, but was incredibly skeptical of how they would pull off the third’s mashup. To my surprise, it is actually pretty well done and super entertaining, wisely switching away from “Highway Star” before the extended solo and morphing into “Victims of the Vampire,” taking that to the end and focusing on that song’s much more attainable solo.
A young band hailing from the Philly area. Their sound falls somewhere between some generic English punk bands and 7 SECONDS. As they’re pretty new, I’m sure they’ll be refining that shortly.
Obnoxious grunged out garage punk with even more obnoxious lyrics. With titles like “Dumpster Babies,” “Shelly Winter’s Thighs,” and “Crib Death,” you know what you’re in for.
Some hard-hitting Skeeno HC here, folks. There’s some metal damage, but not to a distracting degree. Power and production are tops; intense lyrics, too.
Remember funny college dorm rock bands? These local vets crank it out punk style. Songs that walk that fine line between cover and mash up. Lots of MISFITS bits here mixed with BUGGLES, SLAYER, CHEAP TRICK, THIN LIZZY, TOM PETTY, and others. A good time that’s not for grumpy people.
Chunky Texas garage punk. Dorky singing and muscular guitars propel these basic rockers. The themes are typically inane, with “Toxic Shock” and “Secretary Spread” generating the heartiest guffaws. Tesco’ll be able to relate to these jokers.
Seven songs of tuneful but forceful ’77-ish punk with unique guitar work in the vein of early MIA. The lyrics deal with the ups and downs of the opposite sex, and the overall product here is quite enjoyable.
I can’t put my finger on it but something about this record reminds me of a type of sound that would have been prevalent in the ’90s. It’s a little bit rock’n’roll, it’s a little bit hardcore, it’s a little bit neither of these. The vocalist reminds me of Kirsten from NAKED AGGRESSION at times, and at others sounds like the vocalist of some kind of Orange County ska band. All in all, this has moments where I really like it. For the most part though, it’s just OK. It reminds me of a bar band, mostly.
Seven-song demo cassette by this three-piece Canadian outfit. Slow-to-mid-tempo plodding songs in the grunge/riot grrrl kinda vein. This demo was originally released as part of Demo Fest 2020, a fundraiser event which had over 200 demos released on the same day by bands from around the world. I wonder what percentage of them actually made demo tapes of their release.
Slightly metallic hardcore similar to POISON IDEA, but with a real sense of drama and passion. Lyrics are heartfelt and truly progressive. Hot stuff.
A hilarious, scathing parody of the positive outlook straight edge scene, with songs like “Positive Dental Outlook” and “Posi-Machine.” A total crackup.
A wonderful noisy and crude assault on your ears. While the musicianship is basic and loud, there are structure, changes, and thought behind it all. Good and intense, political as well.
Throngs of grinding guitar intensity, distinctive disorderly grates echoing subcutaneous rips of emergent power. CRUDE SS defiantly blaze impetuous rawness, a sonic inferno of chaotic crunchers bolting forth storming drum booms and menacing guttural vocals. A brutal untamed force, unrestrained outrageous wailings of frantic guitar cavortion highlight this fierce arrangement that exhilarates to the maximum with a strong character of stimulating popularity. From Sweden this is rapidly delicious.
A slower but tense attack Á la TSOL. The sound shifts back and forth from the melodic to the powerful, which makes for interesting listening. Didn’t think I’d like this, but it’s OK.
Zooming speedcore mayhem with wild metallic bites and machine-gun drumming. Rough, growling vocals float over this. CRYPTIC SLAUGHTER mixes the textures of DRI, SLAYER, CFA, and the POSSESSED to bring forth one monster of rapid-fire acceleration for this young band. Wild and intense.
Hard-driving late night psych, somewhere between HAWKWIND, PHARAOH OVERLORD, and the WIPERS. High praise for this solo project from New Jersey, but CRYSTAL VIOLET focus their (his) vision before they pull back so when they (he) lets loose there is nothing lost or left behind. Even interlude passages like “Mercy Of The Mountain” and “Flux” serve as important components of the overall presentation. Repeated listens reveal even more nuances and encourage deeper digging. Recommended.
You won’t see any band members or label name on this record because the whole thing is plagiarized by taking everyone else’s Top Ten hit and changing it radically (mostly lyrically). There are “covers” of “We Are the World” (“We Are the World”), “California Girls” (“California Punks”), “Break Dancing” (“Fake Dancing”) and more. Every piece of trash you ever wanted to change. Genius.
Not to be confused with the UK band, this CULTURE SHOCK is from Illinois. Seven songs of gloomy, droning, metallic rock, similar to DIE KREUZEN’s October File material.
Short, no-bullshit, demented hardcore punk from Philadelphia. Imagine the darker ’80s Japanese heavyweights, but ultra-primitive and with throaty USHC vocals. The tape is good, but the vision mostly makes me anxious to hear what they’re going to do next.
Midwestern hardcore punk with the requisite discordance and an adolescent-sounding voice that cracks constantly. You can’t fake this shit.
It is riffs ahoy on this killer cassette from Buenos Aires, Argentina’s CUTRE—there’s so many of them and they all rip! Classic-style hardcore punk that’ll get your blood pumping (along with your fist). The vocals howl and scream in sheer defiance while the instrumentation is as tight as can be—and did I mention this is jam-packed with superior riffage? I feel like a good indicator of this tape’s bad-assery is the fact that there is an INDEGESTI cover on it. Get this blasted!
These guys alternate viciously between FLIPPERish “pet rock” and all-out thrash—usually in the same song—to produce some fine noise. A good first demo.
Oh my…many of you surely heard The Psychic Hologram full-length that Iron Lung released a few years back, but this dose of insanity is something else altogether. These Olympia freaks keep pushing harder with ferocious noise punk delivered as ’90s industrial juggernaut—I figured it was going to be good but…damn. Imagine The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste-era MINISTRY doing a set of DISFEAR and MEANWHILE covers and then closing with a LORDS OF ACID number. Don’t snooze.
A pretty hot collection of garage-y speedcore material here, but no Satanic crap. Lyrics are about conformity, South Africa, and “the scene” predominate. Good job.
New Orleans, LA is home to David Sabludowski, who fired up a Yamaha MT400 multitrack cassette recorder and cranked out a wild eleven-song demo under the condensed moniker of D. SABLU. Taken By Static has a bit of everything going on in it so I’m having somewhat of a difficult time saying exactly what it sounds like. There are some faster electronic/new wave tunes on it that are super cool, a couple really blown-out and nasty revved up garage punk songs, some slow, meandering pretty things, oh, and a song or two that could debatably be passed off as lost OH SEES demo tracks. A wild ride I will be buckling in for again and again.
Cool straightforward punk noise with lyrics about drug abuse, religion, personal issues, and more. “Family’s Only Family” stands out as a catchy tune.
Some good psycho thrash noise with distinctive vocals, reminiscent of the MEAT PUPPETS, the BUTTHOLE SURFERS, and the CRUCIFUCKS. The recording is fine, and it makes for interesting listening, but the lyrics are as goofy as their band name indicates.
Spastic angular noise rock from France. Borderline ’90s emo with a bit of DRIVE LIKE JEHU and JON SPENCER in the mix. I couldn’t get into this. It’s so loosely arranged and drawn out I kept getting lost in the songs. Oh well.
Pretty catchy melodic garage punk with a distorted guitar sound. Lyrically, I’m not sure what’s going on. OK.
This five-tracker displays this Finnish band’s adeptness at mid- to fast-speed hardcore with rockin’ vocals and sizzling production. None of the songs stand out, but the energy and power abound on this record.
Satanic Queer Pizza UFO Punk? Not exactly. These northern Polish punks actually deliver a very progressive and anti-authoritarian message through a polished pop punk style akin to JAWBREAKER or pre-mainstream GREEN DAY. All the lyrics are translated to English and appropriately criticize the abhorrent ultra-conservative Polish government and a placated society. A bit of hopelessness, some humor, but altogether honest and in DIY fashion. Singer/guitarist Tytus does these great rocket-launch jumps, and they covered “Devilock” when I saw them on tour in 2018, both memorable attributes. Not the new hot shit you’re lookin to fly out with your Mastercard for the next punk-tourism festival, but DANZIGER seems to have established themselves as a staple of the Tricity (Gdańsk, Gdynia, Sopot) DIY punk scene.
What’s this? A new Australian discovery? A mid-’70s guitar band? A neo-Mod outfit? Actually, it’s our buddy Lyle Hysen (ex-MISGUIDED) and friends turning in a pretty neat, rockin’ set of three songs, except for the offbeat drumming. (No, no—just kidding, Lyle!) Fun.
The drawbacks of a live release—low fidelity and unclear sound—come to the fore here, but DASH and company have lots of power, which will hopefully come to the fore if and when they go into a regular studio. They play snappy and sometimes creative thrash, with lyrics geared toward making the average coal miner as angry as he ought to be.
Excellent rehash of classic synthwave—the kind that was born out of a background in industrial experimentation—and punk. But especially punk. DATA UNKNOWN leans heavily on the drums (not just the “beats,” per se, but the drums…even if they’re programmed). Electronic freak-outs with shouted choruses, think CHRISTIAN LUNCH by way of TUBEWAY ARMY…or imagine early punks turning primitive classics like HUMAN LEAGUE’s “Being Boiled” into infectious, danceable punk slogs. All of the sounds feel old, but DATA UNKNOWN is the freshest thing I’ve heard in ages.
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.
Indianapolis oddballs drop their fourth or fifth release since they began putting out stuff in early 2021. This time we’re getting six tracks of the fucked synthwave you’ve come to expect from this mysterious act if you’ve been following along. If you haven’t, it’s probably time to get on board—this thing is great! At times they sound like CHROME trying their hand at drum machine egg-punk, at others they sound like one of the weirder Ralph Records acts (probably SNAKEFINGER) covering, like, “Let’s Have a Party” by PSYCHOTIK TANKS. If only more acts were this eager to annoy while being this unbothered by trends!
Hard-driving NZ rock with serious and generous (or seriously generous?) Aussie overtones. After a long drive down a dusty road, when you walk into the only bar you can find just as the sun is setting…this is the band playing. This is walking out of solitude and into a wall of beer and humanity. DATELESS are raw, primal….DATELESS sound like rock’n’roll.
Bouncy pop with silly words about binging, Bedrock, teepees, and such. A little too cute, but it’s fairly enjoyable, especially their cover of “The Blob” theme.
Four tunes here, three thrashers & one ’77-ish song. The speedy ones are moderately catchy, as is the slower tune. Pretty good.
Hailing from Detroit, DAY RESIDUE channels the feral sound that only the Motor City is capable of. Verging on hardcore, but full of untamed rock’n’roll energy, this cassette is a blast! Six songs that rip so hard it feels like a whirlwind. Gnarly riffs and ferocious drums run rampant through this cassette, while vocals deliver vicious personal diatribes. “Piss Paradise” is a sub-two-minute song that channels punk energy into a guitar-driven basement anthem. I fell in love with this album within the first 30 seconds, and I’m sure you will too.
Although this band was involved in the DC scene in the classic years of ’81-’83, they do not follow along the same musical line as many of the other bands. This band resorts to raw, good ol’ sloppy rockin’ punk, much in the vein of the GERMS, especially the vocal style. All seven songs do a good job of documenting this needlessly ignored outfit.
Dark post-punk from Zagreb, Croatia, with the distinction that separates them from the current scene being the searing melodies that quickly sneak in and grapple with the dissonance of the singer’s voice. Melodic in the mid-tempo, angry way of HÜSKER DÜ or Throb Throb-era NAKED RAYGUN. Like maybe what ICEAGE would have sounded like if they stuck with their early DIY/punk sound, but better. Sung in English, the lyrics seem to be trying to piece together some beauty out of a fractured and absurd, sometimes grotesque world.
A fun-loving bunch of drunkards from Holland. A lot of these 29 short tunes extol the virtues of getting fucked up on various substances. DE BOEGIES mostly thrash out, but they also do a number of slower, pub-style songs. Down the hatch!
DEAD AIM’s sound is a vigorous, coarse, grinding one with influences ranging from C.O.C. to AGNOSTIC FRONT. The metal licks are kept to a minimum and the cool vocals really hold the songs together. The lyrics, on the other hand, are the weak point and really do subtract from their potential.
Dirty straight-ahead thrash not unlike POISON IDEA. A few miniscule bits of metal show through: the MOTÖRHEAD-ish power, wailing guitars, etc. Pretty rockin’.
Australian US hardcore band, if you know what I mean (you
probably do). Ostensibly pulling from the ’80s, but the herky-jerk tempo changes and hyper-political lyrics make it sound like its really pulling from that part of the ’90s that was pulling from the ’80s. This record I am presently reviewing is not super well-executed, but it does have a wide-eyed exuberance that I cherish and that is increasingly refreshing in this dark, dark age.
This Australian band’s fourteen-song debut LP is chock full of good, simmering punk edging on hardcore, but is completely killed by basically monotone, yelped vocals which work within this same repetitive delivery. Song to song, it doesn’t matter the lyrics, the lead vocals largely find a pattern within a song: working low to ending on a high sharp note, and repeating it regardless of the lyrical content within the same continued vocal range across the entire record. Lyrics are punk’s greatest strength: being able to hear what someone is singing about, being able to understand why they are yelling, relate to it, and sing along is all power, and it’s power that people seem to largely have set aside for either lack of lyrics they actually believe in or to make the music sound more brutal by having the vocals be unrecognizably gnarly. Here the band seems to actually have relatable, relevant lyrics delivered in a stream of consciousness about climate change, Silicon Valley cyber-snooping, and fighting fascism, but the vocals aren’t gnarly. They’re shrilly, barked repetitively, nulling any impact over this long of a recording. Backing vocals break it up a little, and the music is solid crunchy punkers with bullish leads and sturdy drumming, but the vocals are pretty much a dealbreaker. The cover is a spiral line drawing of decapitated chicken heads, with the back cover of a decapitated chicken getting a drop of liquid dropped inside from an eyedropper.
Grunge-y punk mania here, with pissed-off lyrics slagging the rest of the goony world. Great juvenile fun.
Some very original-sounding noises can be found here, with clean, snappy production to boot. It’s punk all right, but with so many quirky musical interjections that it seems surprisingly new. Great musicianship, with no loss of edge, musically or lyrically. Highly recommended.
The A-side starts out with a JAWBREAKER-ish riff but the sort of spacy, sung vocals really takes you off that vibe and into a more post-rock kind of thing. The song is still driving but not blown-out loud or overly distorted. It has more of a dark feel, like it should be soaking in reverb, but it isn’t. Not bad, but doesn’t really grab at anything. The B-side sounds like it’s going to be a Midwest emo tune until it hits real hard and then it sounds like some of those No Idea Records emo bands from the late ’90s: TRUE NORTH, TWELVE HOUR TURN, etc. Screamed/sung vocals, crunchy distorted bass, heavy syncopated drumming. A real solid song.
An amusing combination, great stop and go HC mixed with crazed lyrics. From the enclosed photos and liner notes, these characters put on quite a stage show, but do they sleep in oxygen tents like MICHAEL JACKSON? Watch for vinyl.
Stop and go thrash with very good vocals from the foothills above Sacramento. They’ve got that early Greg Ginn guitar sound too, so a lot of this is pretty gnarly and distorted.
After a bizarre beginning, this tape launches into a thrash attack that’s raw and exciting. Recorded live, there’s some charm here overriding the obvious live recording problems and garage aspects. Definitely are hot moments.
This is extremely raw and lo-fi crusty art noise. I say “art” because there is something unearthly, irreverent, and rebellious about this. It is so basic yet ensnaring. Riffs sound like early DISCHARGE or STONE THE CROWZ played through a blender with very raw black metal pedals. Lyrical pace is performative and reminds me of the FREEZE at times, and the percussion is primitive MURDER JUNKIE madness. I like this. It’s jangly and off-putting. It’s distorted and creepy. It is hardcore and mechanical. DEAD STARE is obtuse and deranged. This is a very bleak tape with sparks of brilliance throughout.
Eight tracks of old school punk goodness, coming from that school of hardcore that wasn’t yet an exercise in how fast you could play and occasionally featured guitar solos. Some tracks even have hints of British Oi! The two covers they do, by the SPITS (“Bring”) and NECROS (“Reject”), tell a lot about the overall vibe of DEAD STARE. The vocals are too distorted to make out, which is too bad, because they’re enthusiastic about something. I just can’t tell what. Riffy and melodic.
With names like that, I frankly expected metalcore—but no, both bands are definitely on the lighter side. BITCH BOYS are post-punky, and remind me ever so slightly of TUXEDO MOON. DEATH FROM ABOVE is a bit more melodic, with a kind of surf guitar influence.
You know, I could bash on instruments and scream unintelligibly, also, and I can do it for free.
Hard thrash with some speedcore tendencies. The band is tight, the lyrics are personal and social, and the tape is enjoyable, but a bit lengthy.
One of the tightest, more accomplished tapes I’ve received from a new band. This is stop-and-go thrash at its best. Excellent production to boot. Hot.
Portland’s hairy exponents of leftist Oi! return with four new ones and three covers. This may be the best thing I’ve heard from them so far. The songs are catchy as hell, especially the excellent 4 SKINS-inspired, menacing “Let Them Know.” They feel like a more tuneful CRIMINAL DAMAGE that’s less obsessed with BLITZ here. The drums are snare-heavy, up front, and the wailing guitars are nice and buried and shitty-sounding like a proper Oi! mix. “Always Darkest” excelles with pandemic-inspired lyrics like “Can’t go out without wearing a mask / Cuz people are in fear for their lives / You see me on the street / But you’d never guess I’ve been wearing one my whole fucking life!” LOL. The covers (BIG BOYS/7 SECONDS/WIRE) are pretty straightforward and don’t add much to the originals, but are well-thought-out and untraditional while remaining street in spirit. The overused term “banger” could be apt verbiage here, but without a side of mash it falls flat as pavement. See you fucks at the microbrewery!
If the VOIDOIDS played noisy thrash, this is what they would have sounded like. DEATH ROW plays very intense music with unique vocals and lyrics. Recommended.
A very classy, powerful power thrash outfit that doesn’t resort to metal riffs. If anything, they owe more to earlier punk, but they’re firmly rooted in modern sounds, blasting it out with strong lyrics and hooks to boot—”live” proof that Vancouver is not dead. Hot!
Most of DEBAUCHE’s five songs are characterized by their length (long), tempo (medium), vocals (growly), style (metal punk), and innovation (synth). Not my main thing, but a welcome departure.
Well-produced punk & thrash with metal influence. Lyrics are in the “fuck you, eat shit” vein. Pretty hot stuff within.
Well, my grandma lives in Concord, but she wouldn’t like these guys. Their hot, clean thrash would hurt her ears. She wouldn’t appreciate their lyrics, either, which criticize social and political problems.
Chaotic thrash and punk, a little on the dirty/sloppy side. Good vocals, the singer sounds convincing. Pretty good.
Two regional English bands split a tape here, and they couldn’t be more different. DEFORMED’s recording is a studio demo, and their sound is “death punk,” cleanly executed (get it?), and effective. NO BRAIN CELLS do 30-second thrash numbers, and it’s a live tape that fades in and out (at least on my cheapo machine). It’s good to see such varied punk bands be able to cooperate though.
While this new band hasn’t developed any new style yet, they are enjoyable and inspiring for a couple of reasons. First, at least two are women (we need more in bands!), they play a good, intelligent brand of garage thrash, and finally, hail from East Oakland, where no punk bands had hitherto come from. Keep it up.
Not sure if it’s intended to be an homage, but the graphic design on this cassette really brings to mind that period in the late ’90s where melodic hardcore bands were flirting with Midwest emo and sci-fi aesthetics (not a time I’m wistful for!). Like, compare this to the cover of, say, GRADE’s Separate the Magnets. Musically, that comparison isn’t too far off, either. I wouldn’t say DELETIONS, an act out of Harrisburg, PA, plays melodic hardcore by any means—this is closer to post-hardcore with more overt post-punk leanings—but there’s definitely an emo influence to the ten short songs on this cassette. Honestly, it sounds like this band is going for an A FRAMES vibe but knows their love of the PROMISE RING is going to bleed through, so their hope is they can add enough farty analog synth sounds that people won’t notice. It’s some real rough stuff. And that’s not even considering the lyrics, which are borderline excruciating! Still, their commitment to playing profoundly out-of-touch music with this much verve had me rooting for them. So, while I don’t recommend that you listen to this release, I can’t help but recommend that the band keep it up!
DELIRIO’s latest release contains energetic, no-frills, highly energetic bursts of modern-sounding hardcore. Their fast yet sincere-sounding hardcore approach can be comparable to bands like COMEBACK KID or HAVE HEART. Great recording production, yet sounding too polished and boring.
Washington DC’s DEMAND’s demo from last year delivers some super solid hardcore. Very danceable with some nice hints of melody while still keeping it HC to the very core—the type of hardcore that wouldn’t be out of place on the Triple B roster. This debut release demonstrates some real powerful potential for this band and I’m really stoked to see what’s up next—recommended!
Mostly guitar and synthesizer dementia from one Terry Snider, done over the course of years. It’s sort of folk/pop/industrial trash (again Europeans, not thrash), some of which is listenable but painful, some of which is actually enjoyable. One person’s expression.
A four-song release that sounds more American in some ways than English. There’s a mixture of punk, post-punk, HEARTBREAKERS, etc. here that makes this an unusual release.
Brooklyn’s DEMOTED has a rough and immediate DIY sound. Simple, but carefully composed, these tracks range in themes from the juvenile self-deprecation of the title track, to the atmospheric dread of “Twitching Eye,” to the personal, Rollins-style lament of “Not Myself Today.” Standard punk misanthropy.
Fifteen songs are on this tape, but because of the poor sound quality, it’s hard to hear one of Australia’s best thrash outfits wail away. Despite this, DEPRESSION exhibit some real mania here. Fortunately, they’re about to release some vinyl, so hold tight.
A fine tape’s worth here. It reminds me of what a cross between 7 SECONDS and the VANDALS would sound like. I really go for it in a big way. DERANGED DICTION is originally from Missoula, Montana, but they’ve relocated to Seattle.
Vinyl version of 2017’s Confrontar CD, retitled and repackaged for the 12″ format. Monstrous metallic hardcore with a production and presentation well suited for massive stages and furious sing alongs, breathing life and urgency into a subgenre often reserved for third-tier bro bands. Ruidos de Resistencia reminds me why I still have a soft spot for the heat chugs and for those melodic guitar leads, and they make everything feel important…because everything is. The only mistake here is the lack of a lyrics sheet, or even context for the words—because the words are important, especially the perspective of women in a hardcore band from Chile addressing institutional oppression and exploitation. “Cruelty Free” is the track to end all tracks, and the “every moment / every second” chorus will likely be stuck in my head for weeks. Quality fucking release from start to finish, full endorsement.
Twenty-seven tracks of one-man Casio D-beat. I keep listening, but I don’t know what to say…it’s unlistenable, and that’s the point. Noise is, in fact, not music…but at what point does nonsense become art? DESASTYR is like SOCKEYE deconstructing BEYOND DESCRIPTION. I’m gonna send this to Ear of Corn fanzine and see what Food Fortunata thinks (and if that means anything to you then you’ll likely be scrambling for a copy of this CD).
This is well-done speed stuff with guitar leads, lots of power, and intense vocals. Excellent lyrics to boot—good debut… but those leads.
A four-song “death metal core band” that zips along at a frantic pace, isn’t as metal as it is thrash, and avoids lame lyrics and sticks to political/social subjects. A pretty hot debut.
Man. I love this. DIY to its fullest. No-bullshit, heavy noise punk from the Great White North. Not a lot of nuance to their songs, but they don’t need it. DESICCATE isn’t here to be flashy. They’re here to fucking rock. Honestly, that’s what I like to see from bands these days. Energy that transcends the medium. No over-the-top production, no more than three takes. There’s no need for any ego-stroking solos here. Just the white-knuckle grip of a barre chord, the howl of indecipherable vocals, the grounded melody of a bass run, and a steady but powerful drum beat.
Blistering Italian hardcore, tight as a drum and just catchy enough. These thirteen songs are gone in a flash (the final track is the only one that touches the two minute mark), and the amount of awesome they cram into that lightning fast package is simply staggering. TOTAL FURY’s 13 Songs is a partial comparison perhaps—clean, ripping and uncompromisingly catchy hardcore punk with a subtle sprinkling of ’80s thrash. This was my first exposure to the band, and now I’m on a serious hunt for the demo that came out last year. Anyone holding?
Despite the clichéd HC name, this transplant from Chicago has turned out quite a decent demo. Fine studio recording brings their thrash to life. It rips.
Slick and upbeat post-punk from Philadelphia, filled to the brim with the tension between bleakness and determination. Far on the sophisticated end of the punk spectrum, the tracks incorporate some dance-punk, post-hardcore, samples, and artsy vibes among staccato yelling in a seemingly self-aware re-working of punk’s original postmodern project of cannibalizing culture and regurgitating it in new and thought-provoking ways. It reminds me of an updated version of HUGGY BEAR, but they can also execute pro-sounding new wave magic.
This cassette is the answer to the age-old question, can you combine the sound of the JESUS LIZARD, MELT BANANA, and JOY DIVISION? Well, apparently you can, and it sounds goddamn amazing. The riffs are angular, thick with distortion, and catchy as hell. The vocals spit with attitude and remind me heavily of Siouxsie Sioux or the RAINCOATS. DESTRUCTOS prove here that they are one of the most creative and badass punk bands coming out of Philadelphia, and that means something because I’ve heard a lot of stellar bands from Philly recently. This tape is a melting pot of sounds from across the spectrum of punk and noise, and all of the sounds come together to create something really special and unique. Give it a listen, I promise you won’t regret it.
A six-song debut by a local band that contains at least one former member of INTENSIFIED CHAOS. The music is in the classical punk style, with both English ’78 influences and US surf sounds. It won’t set the world on fire, but it’s good clean fun.
This primitive effort by DEVIL’S NIGHT adds new dimensions to the word “garage.” The female vocals veer into psychosis more often than not (which is good), but the slow- to mid-speed offerings here aren’t quite as entertaining as they could be.
It’s an interesting idea. Niels de Wit, who has been playing in bands and putting out records for four decades, picks out fourteen songs that he wrote from over the years, and rerecords them. The songs encompass stuff done by hardcore bands like GEPÁ˜PEL as well as alternative pop rock like JOHAN. The thing is that he makes most of them sound like the power pop/punk of his more recent bands. Even some of those hardcore songs are given a catchy, upbeat touch. On its own, it feels a little dated, like a ’90s pop-punk version of ELVIS COSTELLO. It might be more interesting to those familiar with his previous work.
Took me a minute to wrap my head around what’s going on here. This is Philadelphia, PA-based drum-machine-driven synth-punk which also has an occasional saxophone. Some of the songs are pretty cool—faster and nastier than I expected, particularly the newer songs on the A-side of the tape. This is where DIALER really shines. The slower tracks feel too long and lose my attention, particularly the repetitive ones with spoken-word political sound clips in lieu of vocals, which close out each side of the tape. Side A is listed as having four new demo tracks but there’s definitely more on it which goes on for a while, and side B is DIALER’s side of a split 12″ with CHRONIC ANXIETY. Interesting to see a band in the current age having a strong, outspoken, anti-war/anti-authority political agenda, and props to that considering it feels like many bands nowadays are stuck singing about goo and slime, but a lot of it does come off sounding a little contrived and cringy.
Very impressive political thrash Á la CRUCIFIX, but with other cool influences too. Powerful as shit, this band has been working at it. Recommended.
A solid competent demo with a focused metallic punk/thrash sound comparable to RAW POWER. Lyrics shift from smart to silly. Excellent stuff.
I guess what’s “underground” is relative to where you’re from. For these guys from Central Illinois, this form of pop/punk/funk they practice is pretty radical. For me, though, it’s a bit too close to much “new wave,” although there are moments that attract me. Needs more edge.
The second tape from these folks contains five studio tracks and some live material, and is no letdown from the high quality inventiveness of their premier outing. Punk with guts but incorporating weird changes that most post-punk bands utilize at the expense of rawness and exuberance—these guys keep it all.
Heavy rockin’ garage sounds are the main element that makes up this nine-song tape. Twangy guitar leads complemented by delightful distortion make for some catchy riffs while a steady drum sound holds the backbeat in control. There’s also a strong humorous side to the band’s warped view of life in the lyrics.
A very silly, enjoyable, and decidedly low-tech effort from Germany. This is high-energy pop-punk, heavy on the RAMONES riffs, with excellent lead trumpet on many of the cuts that adds to the levity. They even do a rave-up version of the Waltons TV theme-song. Put these guys on vinyl soon!
Fast-paced sing-along punk from Germany. I enjoyed the energy and style (as well as the interesting arrangements); I can’t say I was altogether blown away by the tunes. I’m certain that an understanding of the lyrics would have helped in this case.
Wisconsin thrash punk with more structural complexity than usual. Choppy rhythms, fluid guitarwork, and spastic vocals are the distinguishing characteristics here. DIE KREUZEN (formerly the STELLAS) provide further proof that the Midwest is no longer slumbering, so give them a listen.
Most of the nine songs are very long, garage-production, older-style punk. I can’t understand German, but if the accompanying letter was any indication of the intelligence of lyrics, then they’re quite well thought out.
Hmm. This tape has sort of a LYDIA LUNCH, “No Wave”-type of vocal quality and overall feel, combined with an amateurish CRAMPS-ish rock ’n’ roll garage feel. Interesting and enjoyable.
Early punk sounds with fun barroom sing-along vocals. A total gas: you can almost see the beer spilling all over the place.
Welcome to the garage. These Tennessee turkeys play from grunged out punk’n’thrash with appropriate chunky production. Lyrics are in the personal/social vein.
A fairly average Oi release from Germany. Most of the songs are in the medium-tempo vein and the guitar could be a lot grungier, but the speedy “Skins” and “Freiheit” are catchy little blasts with ambiguous lyrics that make it worth a listen.
The album title translates to “Horizon Made of Wire,” and is mirrored in the wiry, stripped-down guitar licks and lo-fi feel. With its synth lines and frequent rests, this reminds me of the early DEVO demos on Hardcore Devo: Volume One, only heavier. There’s lots of negative space, and a general zaniness throughout this disturbing six-song Deutschpunk carnival ride, and I feel a little crazier on the other side of it…wait, what’s happening?
In case you don’t know or are too lazy to search, diphallia is a condition where one is born with two penisis. What would cause people to name their band after this could be puzzling, but when pondering the humor of this after a ton of beer in a backyard party in backwoods Florida, you might begin to see their vision. This is total backyard party punk that spans the globe from Fort Worth (where they hail) to Oxnard to Pinole (CA), with just the right amount of snottiness and fast parts to keep your dull thud of a buzz coasting along just fine. Not sure about a song called “White Trash Punk” in this current day and age, but “Slave to the Grave” is fucking cool. Think the band you never heard of on a 50-band Mystic Records comp, or the overloud blown-out track on a ’90s East Bay mixtape. Keg stands would probably be in order, or at least some poppers.
It would be unfair to characterize this band as something between DISCHARGE, DOA, and MDC—because although there are some tinges of each influence, DIRECT ACTION is their own band, slashing out with one intense song after another, all of which are powerful, intelligent, and well done. Get this tape, and their hopefully upcoming 12″, but they have had some problems with the mail (it’s the name), and many sent out never arrived. They’ll send you the tape and cover in separate packages to avoid such problems.
As expected, melodic mid-tempo raw punk filled to the top with politically aware messages. This music has a hard edge and is enhanced by the high-pitched female vocals, making most of these 12 songs catchy and memorable. Only available through mail order.
These guys call themselves a HC ska band and that’s pretty accurate: upbeat jangly ska tunes with Oi choruses. Mostly energetic stuff here, lotsa fun.
These guys call themselves a HC ska band and that’s pretty accurate: upbeat jangly ska tunes with Oi choruses. Mostly energetic stuff here, lotsa fun.
A young thrash act here, playing it garage-y and a bit sloppy. They should improve with time. Song titles sound positive except for “Pussy on the Line,” which could be un-positive.
This cassette got me immediately into a frenzy. Just the kind of harsh and vicious noise that’s so needed in times like these. This is the third release by Philadelphia’s DISAPPEARANCES, ten songs full of short, intense, and brutal spurts of vile. The powerviolence influence is there, but I would say that it’s just the template for more angular and dissonant leanings (think of ’90s bands like BORN AGAINST and RORSCHACH), with just the right amount of breakdowns to keep things dynamic and interesting. Lyrics can certainly be bleak, but that’s just how the world really is. They really know how to weave the personal and the private within the structural and systemic. There’s humor in there too, a self-deprecating and black one. “Blue” is my favorite of the bunch, it has a really cathartic feel to it. Would love to hear this in a live setting.
I can safely say I had no idea what to expect from Philly’s DISAPPEARANCES based on the unsettling cover of their latest release, Meat Clown. It definitely wasn’t the ’90s-influenced powerviolence/hardcore featured across ten tracks of blastbeats, quick tempo changes, and shrieking vocals. At times, it reminded me of the LOCUST, a band I’ve always had a soft spot for. While not really in my wheelhouse, I enjoyed it.
While the drumming is a bit sloppy, the rest of the band churns on. I like the other aspects well enough, but I keep hearing the drumming; sounds like it’s from someone else’s record…maybe some jazz track mixed in for kicks. Unfortunate for me—maybe it won’t irritate you as much, because the rest is cool.
Two slow, uninteresting post-punk ditties appear on the A-side of this release, but a clutch of eight energetic punkers charge away on the flip. A rudimentary sense of melody and nifty speed changeups make for accessible listening, but the material doesn’t stick to the ribs. Okay.
This four-song demo brings to mind larger English bands like DISCHARGE and SACRILEGE. The punchy music is suitable for headbanging and the lyrics are suitable for brainbanging. Good job.
This tape came with an encouraging note saying the guitar and drum duo is “by old punks out of Portland.” With a strong political bent, lo-fi recording, and drums mixed way down low, the songs can’t help but have a bit of a folk-punk vibe. The best parts are the scattered moments of off-key-but-somehow-melodic singing that you might recognize as the special sauce spicing up bands like SHOTWELL and HICKEY. The recording is so weird, and the songs are so slow and earnest, that it inspires nostalgia for the countless ephemeral basement-and-porch creations in small towns made by punks who probably grew up to be square…or went on to be famous. Liberated, self-aware, and a little gross.
I have to say I’m a real sucker for this kind of melodic hardcore/pop punk stuff. Given that there is nothing on the sleeve, and these Italians sing in their native tongue (and sound all the better for it), I’ve no idea whatsoever what they’re lilting on about, though they do have a circle-A as the last letter of their band name, which may or may not have some significance!? Regardless, they produce a gloriously structured racket, drawing on the best of early WESTON, first couple of LPs-era PROPAGANDHI, and NOFX when they got Hefe in the band, and suddenly became brilliant. Yes, they’re that good.
It is an honor to review this exhumation of a 1993 project by BEYOND DESCRIPTION’s alter ego. DISCRIPT play pulverizing, heavy D-beat fury with muffled riffs, china hits, cybernetic effects, putting forth themes of dissatisfaction with society and its inherent rudeness, all sung in Japanese with vapid flavor and viscous flow. Reminds me of the VARUKERS channeling CORRUPTED. Or an old obscure Swedish HC favorite VISIONS. What an intense combo—and DISCRIPT is killing it after 25 years of grimacing slumber. Sonic terror level red. If this were any louder I’d be knocking shit off the speakers. Five tracks of sheer awesome grunting bestial Japanese crust that have left all metal-grind preceding reputations in the dust.
Relatively solid metallic punk with intelligent anti-system words. Strong material and good sentiments. I dig it.
Extremely raw and intense thrash from a new New York-area outfit. Unfortunately, the lyrics are on the Quincy-punk level, as in “Slam Dance”: “You fake fuckin’ punker… Get on the floor and take a chance. Just slam, slam, slam, slam dance.” Yeah, right. If the ideas expressed here were even half as appealing as the raging music, these guys might be serious contenders.
A six-song demo that shows potential in the power-thrash dep’t., but is lacking in the tightness dep’t. I’ve certainly heard worse, and these guys will get it together in time.
DISPOSICIÓN NEGATIVA is a grindcore band from Perú. This cassette is 21 short blasts of fury, including a cover of AGATHOCLES and another one of DISRUPT. Being grindcore, you know what to expect and the band delivers it: sick blastbeats, incessant and heavy riffing, and low-pitched growls. The sound is personal though, and you can tell the creative potential of the band in future releases. What I really enjoyed and want to emphasize is the haiku-like brevity, conciseness, and terrible beauty of the lyrics (all in Spanish), decrying the Western ideal of progress, neoliberalism, war, family, the church. Killer release.
Bare-bones D-beat punk doesn’t get much more bare-bones than DISSCHARRRGH. Picture the genre at its most primitive—a more than competent mid-fi presentation of sub-60 second songs that rarely (if ever) venture beyond the “no more than two riffs of no more than three chords” formula. Vocals are gruff and often struggle to keep time while the bass takes the lead in the mix—guitars are there, but they’re buried—and it gives the whole thing a scumputer punk vibe that totally works. Super shitty digital artwork and a repurposed cassette really complete the package. Choice cut: “All Over Again.”
These guys have the clean, non-metallic SoCal punk sound down pat, even the vocals remind me of BAD RELIGION. Good lyrics in a neat booklet. Good job.
Quick catchy punk similar to a SoCal sound, even the vocals. Reminds me of the first BAD RELIGION LP. Thumbs up for these dudes, who were great live.
Some very tight, fuzzed-out thrash with some pretty pessimistic lyrics. Excellent sound quality to boot.
Interesting. At times, this band’s sound doesn’t quite seem to gel, but then within their simplicity lies a vast amount of musical innovation and complexity. Combine this with extremely intelligent political lyrics and a desire to take chances while keeping an edge, and you’ve got the beginnings of something. Watch for growth here.
Dirty thrash with hoarse, shrieking vocals not unlike NEGAZIONE. Not too much metal damage, personal lyrics. A solid effort.
Lightweight punk with surf and pop influences, sounding like the frat party-band they are. Could appeal to fans of Midwestern pop and garage bands, but they lack any real punch or zaniness.
OK, this one is going to be a hard one to track down, but it is worth it. Krautrock meets raw black metal in a noise-drenched psychedelic punk wonderland paying homage to SUN RA, Deus Ex Machina is an absolutely brilliant collection of sound(s). This is experimentation within the confines and/or parameters of punk…which is to say that it’s fucking punk, and it doesn’t sound like anything you’ve ever heard before. Brilliant.
Three songs here, all thrash. There’s no new ground broken, though it’s got some great drumming and excellent lyrics. Let’s see where this young band goes.
Upbeat German punkers with a great sense of humor. They sing about the walking dead like it was an outtake from a Disney film. Lots of sing-along-style tunes with quick step guitars. Should appeal to MISFITS fans.
Translating as “Poison Pig,” I expected a bit more weirdness than supplied, but this slab of plastic contains some neat tracks. They can do thrash, punk, proto-punk—all with verve and gnarly-ass vocals and guitar. Reminds me a bit of early PERE UBU.
Crypto-cowboy music, maybe? Bizarre guitar playing meets poppy no wave? Not exactly pop; not exactly punk. You tell me.
This is a pretty good thrash debut. While DON’T NO don’t break any new ground, they do have snap. The drumming and bass playing are hot, the vocals have back-ups, and the lyrics are pretty sharp, with a definite straight edge bent to them.
Really snappy thrash with hooks and choruses. Lots of stop-and-go action, cool singing, and rapid-fire tunes with little waste. Neat entry from this German band.
DOPPLER RADAR AND THE LOCAL NEWS from Indianapolis, Indiana brings us a two-track cassette, a format commonly known as the cassingle. “Kissing Booth” is an skramz-esque track with artsy spoken word vocals on top of herky-jerky, math-rock-style starts and stops. This is backed with “Scalp Me,” a more straightforward powerviolence-y track that mostly sounds like the vocalist is one of the Gremlins in the classic movie of the same name. A mere 23 copies of these were released in Italy and already sold out. It seems this is from the 50 North American copies that were made, of which copies are still available.
A 15-song demo from a wine country band whose influences are M.A.D. and CODE OF HONOR, among others. They’ve got a real right, thrash-oriented attack. It’s not too distinctive yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see them develop into something special as time goes on.
DOUBLE STANDARD from Malta’s latest release consists of unique-sounding political hardcore punk tracks full of thoughtful expressions of injustices of our world, reminiscent of the feeling of ’80s-style recordings of NWOBHM and anarcho-punk that isn’t overtly metallic or modern-sounding. Mt. Focus successfully expresses the complex, subtle feel of the issues facing our societies and ecosystem, not just through their lyrics but through sonic means as well.
Ultra limited-run tour tape released last year. The power of The Internet can still connect you to these space indie sounds from Montreal. Dreamy and just a little bit noisy (sometimes) prog-punk with a decided groove, like a basement punk WOODEN SHJIPS or something. It’s good, man, I swear…and I would have enjoyed seeing this band on their summer 2018 tour.
Run-of-the-mill speedmetal without anything to set it apart from the pack. Lyrics seem to be good, but, overall, this is pretty lackluster.
Philly hardcore brutality with a raw, cavernous production. The pedal-augmented guitar tone unleashes some truly horrifying feedback screams. Stylistically, you could call it powerviolence, but it’s more bashy than chuggy—somewhere in between HERESY, INFEST, and YDI. Lyrically a bit tortured, written in the first person and with rich, damning vocabulary. A shock to the system.
A very noisy but interesting tape. While punk to the max, this garage outfit employs some “special effects,” making this effort varied and enjoyable. Hope they make a record.
All the songs on this EP start out quiet and pretty and quickly move into speedy but highly melodic thrash. Don’t be fooled by the “Wavish” sleeve, this one’s got punch while maintaining its tune.
If you don’t already know, Oklahoma City is a hotbed for hardcore punk. Wild, inventive, no rules—when no one cares, then you have the freedom to do what you want…and then people start to care. DRUJ dropped this (their third) tape earlier this year and I had listened countless times before it entered my “review assignments” email, so why am I at a loss for words? The guitar intro over the drum roll that starts “Die In Flames” sounds as shit-hot as it did the first time I blasted it, and the vocals are somehow even more disorienting, and I still sit slack-jawed at full volume, just blasting…and seething. DRUJ needs this, and you can feel it when vocalist آزيتا unleashes howls in “Jesus Wept,” setting the tone for four pieces of sonic nihilism. I could dissect each track, but an academic examination would cheapen the experience and this band deserves better than that. Give it to them.
Great, great, great catchy punk tunes, with an accent on energy and momentum. Cool youthful vocals, too. Damn good stuff.
An animal rights/human rights approach, packaged in a large fold-out sleeve. Four buzzsaw punk tunes, some medium, some fast, all enraged and powerful. Good effort.
This appears to be a solo project from a member of the group NAIL POLISH. What we have is a pretty neat set of experimental punk intersecting early WIRE, COLIN NEWMAN solo records, and TOTAL CONTROL. Those are all pretty top-shelf references for me to make, so you know this is probably worth checking out. I look forward to hearing more.
Isolation hardcore continues, this time with the fourth release (that I know of) from Portland’s DZTN 1980. Cold, howling anarcho-tinged freak sounds with song structures that can (perhaps) only be signed off on by bands with no dissenting members (or no other members at all), bands that typically exist in one person’s mind. Distinct Blinko tendencies set to a steady, driving drum (machine), Don’t Give Up seems gone in an instant, and leaves me wondering if I’ve been through something. When the act’s sole member reflects on the past year by sneering “Does it have to be this way? / Does it have to be a struggle? / We wanna believe in something / Why not each other?” on the final track, I feel like someone just pulled out the splinter, so maybe I have.
There’s some serious latitude given here, since ERNST AND THE EDSHOLM REBELS were responsible for a couple of crucial ’80s Scandinavian slabs, but this disc is utterly forgettable. The guitar leads are interesting, and are mostly enough to hold my interest, but the majority of this is artificially overproduced slog that actually sounds like a record made by some dudes who recorded a killer EP in 1984 (fun fact: they did), and then developed a taste for commercial stoner rock as adults. I like a couple of the modern releases, most notably 2013’s Abort the System EP, but this one just doesn’t do it, and that’s before I even get to the twelve-plus minute “Dirty Waters” that closes the CD.
EA80 delivers melodic punk and post-punk. It’s really clean stuff, super-produced, and that sterilization process detracts in a way from the overall effect. This is especially true with the vocals, which seem so separate and almost operatic that it’s annoying. So-so.
A catchy 14-song tape produced by this Milwaukee outfit. Several blatant metal leads are weaved into medium-paced melodic thrash, both of which are topped off with strange, echoing vocals. Lyrically, a bit on the basic side, but it doesn’t detract too much from this tape as a whole.
Snotty Massachusetts punks blast their way through twenty doses of blistering hardcore. Equal parts classic New England grind/crust and West Coast sample-laden, turn of the century core…stripped-down, no holds barred, don’t-give-a-fuck fuck-you shit punk. And who can fuck with not giving a fuck?
In case you can’t tell from the band name, these guys are pissed! With members like Moe Pain and Ben Worse(!), you get a little warning of the intense Massachusetts modern floorpunching hardcore/grind meld pummeling you are about to receive. Not to be confused with the Ojai powerviolence grind combo of the same name, this band treads along similar waters with more of an East Coast DISASSOCIATE kinda vibe. There’s lots of shocking sound bites as they gun more for the offensive side of grind, such as on masterworks like “Fart Out My Dickhole.” They definitely have a sense of humor and I can’t really picture any of them being under 250 pounds, but these four EPs fly by in no time. I’m not really left wanting more, just empty and vacant and that’s not the worst thing.
Excellent, powerful ’77-style punk in a MISFITS/UNDEAD vein. The title track is instantly memorable for its sickoid lyrics and preeminently catchy instrumentals, but the other two songs here keep up the standard just as well. My opinion: get this EP as soon as humanly possible.
Interspersed between their wise-guy hardcore songs are wise-guy comments and witticisms. I’d assume this is a wise-guy intellectual punk band, somewhat reminiscent of the CRUCIFUCKS. Interesting.
Most or all of the dozen or so songs here would fall under the “generic thrash” cover, with predictable but enjoyable energy and an abundance of youthful enthusiasm. Pretty tight, and decent recording quality.
A trio of punk veterans end up on Hawaii’s Big Island, help carve out a wee scene there, and produce this debut eight-track effort. All self-recorded, mixed, mastered, and released. It’s speedy, poppy basic punk, Á la DESCENDENTS and CRIMPSHINE, with lots of politics (and some zombies) in the lyrical mix. Catchy and infectious for sure.
Raging distracted punk and thrash with metallic tinges and straightforward intelligent topical lyrics. Explosive stuff here.
A great blend of high energy, thought-provoking lyrics, and hyper-power thrash. Five songs blaze forth some intense 100-MPH thrash in the vein of much American hardcore. Good loud stuff!!
Former members of KARNAGE team up with new people and strike out in a new direction. It sorta reminds me of the new SoCal psychedelic bands, with some PiL, FLIPPER, and ADOLESCENTS aspects.
The combination of driving mid-tempo drum machines, dark, dancey synth leads, and angsty human vocals really resonates with the strange realities of late capitalism and the electronic age. Minneapolis’ self-described “Queer+Trans punx making synth beats” deliver ten tracks that could definitely get a basement full of punks dancing deliriously, peppered with smart political and cultural critique. The minimalist synthesized instrumental compositions allow the vocals and lyrics to be front and center. This tape is totally electronic and totally punk at the same time, which is no easy feat. The tape includes cool artwork and a free, customizable ALIENation membership card.
Unusual hardcore, where thrash meets industrial noise with sometimes inspired moments. There’s straight thrash too, as well as FLIPPER-esqe music. All in all, a band to reckon with, despite their garagy live recording. Very intelligent lyrics, too showing that thrash can indeed be creative and manic today. Hey, they even incorporate surf music into it.
Slow, screeching noise guitar and pounding drums become the background for chanting vocals, together there are a lot of similarities to the WITCH TRIALS and CRASS-type bands. There are 51 songs on this cassette which really shows the growth of this band, but the muffled production takes away a lot and can become the main concern when listening.
Wow! Incredible stuff here! Metallic thrash (but not generic speedcore) with pretty good lyrics and powerful production. Get this.
For a band that claims to be “from nowhere,” they certainly are “somewhere.” There’s a lot of accomplished and powerful HC on this tape, and while most is fairly generic, there is ample evidence of future distinctiveness.
Minimalist art-noise meet hardcore attitudes, with some Japanese musical influences. Huh? They sound a bit like early TUXEDOMOON, the SCREAMERS, or maybe a rawer UNITS with intense lyrics.
Experimental stuff with a vague punkish sensibility and some left field BEEFHEART-like effects. It might precipitate epileptic fits, but it probably won’t appeal to the more intolerant hardcore fans. Tough! The lack of fuzzy, distorted guitars is one of END RESULT’s more distinguishing characteristics.
Male and female vocals combine with some hard-driving punk/thrash and intense political lyrics. Besides their varied originals, there are a few covers (CRASS, BEATLES, DICKS, etc.) on this live recording. Sound quality is decent and energy is high. Good.
Second album from Melbourne, Australia-based ENDLESS BORE. Fifteen tracks of stripped-down, by-the-numbers hardcore with tough breakdowns and vocal stylings you’d more likely expect to hear in a crust or D-beat band than a straightforward tough hardcore outfit. That of course isn’t to say that they aren’t fitting for one another.
All the way from Melbourne, Australia comes ENDLESS BORE, with a record that has the power to shake the Land Down Under to its very core. In this 10″ EP, ENDLESS BORE offers some riffy, shit-stomping hardcore in the vein of the nastier Boston-style HC. They also throw some of the grinding intensity and superhuman speed of powerviolence into the mix—the combination is immensely palpable.
Straightforward punk and thrash with loads of energy and powerful guitarwork. Not too original, but pretty rockin’ nevertheless.
Ooh baby, this is tough. Heavy hardcore riffs and tough-as-nails breakdowns. ENEMY doesn’t come off particularly like tough guys, though. Do I feel that way because of the polite hand-written note which accompanied the cassette? Perhaps it’s because of the band name and song titles written in pink paint marker directly onto the cassette shell in lieu of any sort of artwork? Either way, I dig the effort. I can’t find any info about the band, but I hope to because this is hard enough to get us aging punkers out of mosh retirement.
A 12-song studio demo that’s well-produced. It’s got that chunky drumming that I don’t go for too much, but the guitar sound and vocals are real good, and it’s real powerful overall. The main problem with ENOLA GAY is that they rely a bit too much on the basic repetitive thrash structure. More variation would help.
Orlando, Florida’s death thrash pack featuring violent guitars and demonic, crazed, mumbled and in-trance vocals. Great sludgy parts that end on blunt palm-mutes or open strident guitars, and sweet drums that come from the sludgiest tempos into hardcore punk in a millisecond, really digging that combo. Filled with vicious anger and almost a rabid vibe, feels extracted from another era of metal punk with touches from nowadays. Suggested track: “The Night Knocks.” The chains and shackles seem to be shaking in their dungeon chambers.
Although the thrash here is not anything new (admittedly, it is quite good and powerful, though), the lyrics are outstanding. It’s great to see a band sing about battered wives, on sex and morality. Intelligent and angry! Good sound quality, too.
Fast-ass thrash, tight and powerful. The studio tracks shred, and the live are not really recorded well. Hope they get a record out.
This is certainly a lo-fi recording, which is not necessarily a slam when it comes to this style of punk. The J-card does warn you that it was “recorded at home,” after all. Mid-tempo, kinda catchy, minimal punk rock sounding like it was recorded on a crummy old boombox. There’s a bit of a post-punk feel to it at times with the jangly guitar meandering around repetitive bass lines. EPHS covers “Teenager” by the RATS which is a pretty cool tune to choose for a cover, and the tape has some kinda drum machine type thing on at least one of the songs—like I said, it’s pretty lo-fi. It seems this cassette is an edition of merely twenty, so snag it while you can if you’re into lo-fi catchy home recordings.
Not to be confused with the English band, this Memphis outfit is a punk/metal/rock amalgam. The overriding emphasis is on the punk side, but there’s a lot of guitar wanking and soloing, and you know how excited I get about that. But find out for yourself.
Wow! This is neat! Powerful energetic pop punk with a drum machine. In general, I don’t like “non-human instruments” but this is darn good!
I’ve never been a big fan of acoustic punk, but it seems to be coming up more in my life lately. I witnessed an excellent set by my friends’ band RENT STRIKE the other night, showing me there can be some merit to the genre. Not having much to compare this to besides the aforementioned band, BILLY BRAGG, AGAINST ME!, DAVE DICTOR, or that time my old band got our equipment stolen and we had to wing it, this is a fairly entertaining album of socially aware and politically charged music. “Jacked Up” and “High Noon” are my faves, featuring a heavier country sound and biting commentary about my old home town. Erik has been around the Bay for a long time, and this record is even mastered by the guy from the LEWD and METAL CHURCH, so dim the lights, pull out the incense and bourbon, and give it a try.
ESKIZO is a great D-beat band from Georgia in the American South. The band’s been around since 2015, refining a very heavy and particular rendition of DISCHARGE-worship that is aggressive, vindictive, and yet really fun. Most tracks are in Spanish, but that shouldn’t be any kind of barrier to enjoy the mean sounds of ESKIZO. I really dig “Inestabilidad,” a mix between early DARKTHRONE and MG 15. Get the cassette.
Straightforward basic driving thrash unaffected by other musical styles. I’d understand the words if I hadn’t failed my Spanish class. Good youthful energy.
Brazil’s version of DISCHARGE meets Finnish hardcore. Actually, they do have a few slower “classical” punk songs that are really great, too. Good, intense stuff.
Powerful tuneage here: grinding punk and HC of all speeds with lots of anger and momentum. Good tunes.
This is an exceptionally harsh collection of sounds from Serbia’s EVA RAS. Emo-violence (still) gets thrown around a lot as a subgenre descriptor, but this tape is unquestionably violent in the way that early Scandi-BM was just unmusically and seemingly unnecessarily harsh. Chaotic screamo with no bass and sub-60 second bursts of complete fucking chaos—you have to look back to MOHINDER to find anything approximating this kind of desperate brutality. Apparently there are only twelve physical copies (?!?!), so best hit the link below…
EVA RAS is a solo screamo project from Belgrade, Serbia. Musically they would fit in very well with the likes of ORCHID or PG.99, etc. It is spastic, chaotic, and unsettling, so I think it very much achieves the goal of the genre. The band uses the term “emoviolence” to describe their sound, and I admittedly had to look that one up. I’m not sure when screamo started being referred to as skramz, and when bands sounding like that adopted the term emoviolence, but as far as I can tell it’s all pretty similar. This is apparently the first half of a double EP, the second half forthcoming, and the cassette is limited to 12 copies.
Well goddammit, if the title doesn’t say everything that needs to be said. Seriously though, this is awful. Like, I’m not even trying to be mean. It’s just bad. Like a bar band covering BLINK after multiple shots, bad.
Originally released in February of 2020 and limited then to a mere ten copies, EX PARENTS decided to utilize the downtime that was about to be thrust upon us all to send their demo out to be remixed/mastered and have artwork done by Keith Caves, who is undeniably one of the best in the biz! So here we have the newly remixed/remastered/reissued/hand-numbered (out of 50 copies) EX PARENTS four-song demo tape of pop-infused hardcore punk. I can say with utmost certainty after playing with them in their hometown of Roanoke, VA last month that the tape doesn’t hit as hard as the band does live. That doesn’t at all mean that it’s not a solid demo, merely that the band’s live sound couldn’t quite be captured. As someone who is a bit of a completist when it comes to music, I can’t help but wonder how that originally mixed batch-of-ten tape sounds. Are we getting the DIY version of “the great rock’n’roll swindle” here? Can’t wait to hear the record that is allegedly in the works.
Storming out of Venice comes the latest speedcore rave band since SUICIDAL TENDENCIES. Fast, effective, with lots of metallic speedy chords, EXCEL is a young ensemble who sounds just too good on this second demo. They attack with a no-holds-barred lightning striking barrage of blasting vocals and great instrumentation. SUICIDAL look out—EXCEL are moving fast.
A strong, driving thrash sound with interesting twists and great lyrics. Another fine young band emerges from the South Bay, which was the home of punk rock in the ’60s. Tim Tonooka said they were excellent; he’s right.
This former hardcore band has gone the way of the buffalo (or is it the dinosaur?), opting for an older metal sound meets ’70s rock meets post-punk. Of the six songs, only “Talk of the World” (speedcore) contains any real zip, though the vocals really detract from it. Lyrically, it’s quite “dark” and self-absorbed.
A bizarre mixture of five tracks appears here. There’s one experimental, a thrash instrumental, a cover of “Green Acres,” and two stop-and-go thrash songs. All are well done, especially the title track. Interesting.
This Maryland punk band lies on the wrong side of the fine line between endearing primitivity and musical ineptitude. Still, the lyrics are strong and the vocals are great, so all these guys probably need is more time to practice.
A garagy tape from a garagy band. There are a couple of instrumentals in the surf style, two other tunes that borrow heavily from ’60s garage pop, and a bizarre cover of NO ALTERNATIVE’s “Johnny Got His Gun,” which they make almost unrecognizable.
A defunct band from the small town of Korpilahti in central Finland. The EXPLODED have a raunchy mid-tempo instrumental attack and gravelly Oi-style vocals (like those of Maho Neitsyt). This primitive but unremarkable tape is already sold out.
EXPOLLUTANTS, a New York-based band, offer an acid journey through space with their psychedelic punk approach. Drawing influences from early SWANS (especially on opener “Failed Earth”), BLACK FLAG (My War-era), BUTTHOLE SURFERS, and RUDIMENTARY PENI, their music is a fusion of high energy and introspective exploration. With the theme centered around interplanetary colonization, their lyrics delve into thought-provoking concepts, taking the listener on a voyage through outer space and the inner mind. The combination of sound and thematic depth creates a truly immersive and memorable trip.
The sound ripped my teeth from their gums as my mouth gaped open wide in astonishment as to the full-front ferocity of extreme power smashing my face. This is the best new blast of damaging explosions to rock the brainwaves as an assault of growling vocals bark over a maniac lashing of speedy thrash pushed in with raw, loud distortion.
EYE WITNESS from Salem/Boston, MA released a limited quantity of tapes in late 2019 with poor circulation but what they lack in promotional skills they make up for in perfectly brutish hardcore punk. The recording is blown out and sounds like a tape that’s been dubbed well over a hundred times but even still the guitar, drums and vocals stick out over the rumbling bass. It’s worth hearing between the perfectly timed accentuating shouts that sound like a caveman pondering life and the nods to POISON IDEA, MISFITS, and RAW POWER. What you’d expect from a band with a members-of list longer than this review.
Debut record from this Buffalo, NY one-man band. The theme song is a distorted, stomping rocker. Repetitive, pained vocals lend a nice sound to the straightforward musical track. “Fall Asleep with the TV On” is a slow, droney tune with acoustic guitar and lulling vocals. It could easily put you to sleep, TV on or off. Cool stuff.
This band is a mystery to me in credentials and style. They come from Buffalo and play an earnest melding of classic rock and 100 FLOWERS-style reverbed artiness. Unfortunately the atonal vocal style is distracting and not too pleasant. Musically, it’s an intriguing listen and exudes a dark, paisley-coated dreariness with lyrics that border on poetic. A beautifully silkscreened cover envelopes it perfectly—all back and covered in flowers. I maybe could see them on a bill with COME HOLY SPIRIT but I’m just not so crazy about those vocals.
A record of two halves, each as enjoyable as it is different. “Everyday Life” is a blown-out, mid-paced garage schlock downer, while the flip is a quirky, scratchy acoustic guitar-driven dirge with tweaked-out vocals and an earworm melody. Could be a one-off, could be your next DIY bedroom SWELL MAPS/BUTTHOLES/NO TREND heroes?
Are you wistful for, like, 2009? You know, the halcyon days when lo-fi garage pop and shitgaze ruled the (Myspace) airwaves, “Be My Baby” drum beats were de rigueur, your local Sparks and Four Loko-littered basement might host a bill of PSYCHEDELIC HORSESHIT and the BARBARAS, and your favorite band’s latest release could be put out by a hip economy car company? If so, have I got a release for you! To be fair, EYES AND FLYS, a recording project out of Buffalo, is a little more BLACK TIME (good!) than WAVVES (bad!), and it’s not like they’re singing about pizza parties or fake dance crazes. Really, it’s a solid take on this kind of sound. But it’s a sound that nevertheless reminds me of a feel-good time that doesn’t quite match the world’s current tenor. It makes it tough for me to enjoy. But that’s more on me than it is these tunes, which I suspect would have appealed to pre-doomer me. So, give it a listen!
Seeing as this is their fourth 7″ in just over twelve months, EYES AND FLYS have certainly kept busy during the past year. And while I respect their work ethic, these guys’ music hasn’t quite hit the target for yours truly. EYES AND FLYS walk a strange borderland between partly-sunny near-goth and overcast garage-strum (a place called Buffalo, actually). Forsaking the punkier direction of the preceding singles, there’s an implied darkness and gloominess to these tunes, but it never settles into something truly compelling. The songcraft is definitely there, as you’ve got acoustic guitars and extra percussion jingles and jangles, but it remains on the other side of the river, just waving at me and there’s no thought of attempting a crossing. The B-side is some sort of heartland rock instrumental that wouldn’t be out of place on anything from a TOM PETTY record to a ’90s indie-emo platter on Caulfield Records. On the insert, in addition to the nice old-school touch of a phone number for contact, there is the inscription: “Getting by two songs at a time.” It’s a nice sentiment, but I think it’s time to make an album where this material might congeal into something worthy of its ambition.
There’s something about the title “Asbestos Fiber in a Sunbeam” that makes me happy. The picture I have in my mind is somewhat uplifting, and I really need that these days. The song is a rollicking, fuzzy stomper. It’s energizing. “Sad Labor” is slower with a lilting off-kilter quality that grows to sound big and expansive, then ends with the guitar just strumming slowly. I like this a lot.
I wouldn’t want to say this is particularly punk per se, but it’s definitely not indie rock in the modern sense. Indie currently tends to be a polished, neatly-made, safe and starched pop music for people who probably rent those new condos in your city. This EYES AND FLYS 7” (their second within a year) is more slanted (and enchanted) towards ye olde ’90s college rock, and I’m sure the folks involved have spent considerable time with their SEBADOH, GUIDED BY VOICES, and ARCHERS OF LOAF records on repeat. It’s got that dusty, woolen lo-fi sound down pat—layers of guitar, with bright jangle strumming under a crunchy morass of distortion emanating from tweed-covered amps, with a light thump of drums to keep the beat. It was probably recorded on an eight-track inside a drafty house in the fall or early winter, probably while wearing scarfs and knit caps. The melodies peer through the murk and its sincerity stands hand-in-hand with its sneer.
I first heard this group on The COVID Collaborations, Vol. IV and immediately enjoyed everything associated with these cassettes—lo-fi bedroom projects galore, what’s not to like? Swirl Maps is EYES AND FLYS’ first self-released LP, pulling some tracks like “Cactus Flowers” and “Eyes and Flys” from previous singles. That said, Tetryon Tapes did put out an LP of all the singles in May of 2022, so you may see some crossover here. While the lineup has shifted somewhat, it seems Pat Shanahan and Biff Bifaro have stayed active in the band from the start, performing regular tune-ups on the motor of their shambling and be-jangled sound. Wiry, reverb-soaked guitars, shouted vocals that make me rock back and forth, singing along slack-jawed. Of the new tracks, “Empty Safe” is my favorite faster/rowdy track, while “Take the Keys” is a slow, sweeping reverie, beautiful in its own messy way. Keep your eyes on these FLYS!
A five-song release that strikes a unique combination of metal/thrash instrumentation with BUZZCOCKS-like poppish vocals and intelligent lyrics. Watch for more.
This spirited EP features female vocals over a nicely fleshed-out set of mid-to-fast tempo punk and thrash tunes. The playing is excellent and songs are well-arranged; one track, “Eins-Eins-Null,” even uses the violin to interesting effect. An excellent release!
Retardo garage punk and thrash in the DAYGLO ABORTIONS tradition… that particular Canadian sense of humor. Unfortunately, the sound quality is not the greatest. Funny.
An excellently recorded tape, FVK came on with superior political lyrics (I say “came” on, because they lasted only during last summer). The first few tracks are fairly “heavy,” but after those they launch into a series of thrash stop-and-go killers. Fine.
Basic thrash with mediocre production. Musically, nothing special, but the words are totally on-target, covering pacifism, peace, religion, etc. with intelligence. Great sentiment.
A rather scathing look at American society performed by three young fellows. Musically, it’s pre-garage electric guitar and vocals, reminding me of an even more minimal MANIAX (Fresno variety). Teen charm.
Garage thrash meets industrial noise. Primitive sounds whacked out with rock’n’roll gusto, includes both studio and live recordings. Some songs are actually catchy, and I got to (I think) feel complimented by the tune “Reagan Dropped the Bomb (on Tim Y).” Crude, rude, and rockin’.
Hmmm! Garage/folk rock/industrial music. Well, if it’s not that, what is it? You can find out for a mere 60¢.
Serious question: are they intentionally speeding up the chorus of “Americans”? Because it sounds so weird and so totally awesome that I really want it to be intentional. Anyway, FAIL SONS are catchy and urgent punk, seemingly fine-tuned for the club circuit (in a good way, it means that they are on top of their shit), with dual guitars doing the dance while layers of vocals alternate gruff and sweet harmonies all over the damn place. It’s a really straightforward formula, and it totally works. Also, it turns out the drums speed up awkwardly and for no apparent reason on a few other tracks too (most notably “BP Oil Spill Of Human Misery”), and I love how it makes everything feel kinda uncomfortable.
Driving mid-tempo punk crossed with that later period BLACK FLAG psychotic sound. Lyrics are mostly in the twisted personal vein. Overall, a rather interesting combination, pretty good.
The six short compositions on this EP suffer from badly mixed, garage-style production values, with the guitars pushed way into the back. Too bad, because the subjects covered on this record demonstrated a high level of political astuteness and credibility. “Conscription” and “Laughable Attack” are especially topical.
More mid-tempo political punk from FALLOUT. The lyrics are extremely perceptive, and the songs start to click after a couple of listens, but they don’t exactly make you jump up and take notice. The music could use a shot of adrenaline.
This is a bit better than the other UK records I was assigned this time. It contains some thrash and some older-style punk, all of which is delivered with considerable power. Personally, I like the live tracks best—they have a totally industrial quality to them, sort of like hardcore meets THROBBING GRISTLE.
This debut by Italian band FALLOUT consists of three fast ’77-type numbers and three thrashers. The sound is driving, the choruses and tunes stick in your craw, and there are some nifty little lead parts, so check it out. Good effort.
At first, this new long-player from FALLOUT all seemed to have that familiar anarcho-Britpunk style, but after more listenings, the variations and intensity come through. They have a PiL sound on “Know Your Enemy” and “Apartheid,” an IGGY POP riff on “Trojan Horse,” and lots of early CRASS garage influence. Well thought-out and executed.
This group hails from down near Monterey, and the music is fairly standard NorCal stop-and-go thrash. Pretty energetic, but not really original. The words are similar in all fifteen songs, expressing a desperation and emptiness that must make the writer a real joy to be stuck in an elevator with.
Not to be confused with the defunct Monterey group of the same name, this band has more in common with, say, SUBURBAN MUTILATION in terms of noise, distortion, and intensity—garage to the max! I can’t hear the words for shit, as they’re spit out at 150 mph and subjected to the kind of recording techniques that were probably used in the 1920s, but there’s one song called “Fags Suck” which they “oh-so-intelligently” dedicate to the CLITBOYS. This is followed by “Live Your Life!” Sheer genius, right?
Dizzying whirlwind thrash not unlike DRI. I’d love to see these hyperactive spastics live because they’re tight and powerful as fuck. A searing release.
Chris Pfeffer has had a hand in some of the best punk Texas has produced in the last two decades—STORM THE TOWER, OBEDIENCE, SEVERED HEAD OF STATE, J CHURCH, CRIATURAS, SIGNAL LOST, the list goes on (and on)—and when civilization closed up shop last year he did what any self-respecting genius would do: he made a record. By himself. Very much a sum of its (his) parts, FALSE TRUCE sounds absolutely like Chris—the guitars take the Mould model to another level, the full-charge D-beat lurch, and honest and blunt delivery of honest and blunt lyrics. Hopefully this project doesn’t fade into a COVID haze, because the world needs FALSE TRUCE.
Rough and tumble old style punk rock here, very spirited, similar to the VANDALS, LOVE CANAL, etc. Slap in the face lyrics deal with religion, society’s problems, and some very backwards lyrics on “SLUT,” the title tells the story.
Despite the limitations of being a bearded trio, FAMOUS & FALLEN do a damn fine job of melding the best of melodic hardcore and driving pop punk. Not as fast or as shiny as GOOD RIDDANCE, or as poppy as SCREECHING WEASEL, but they are nevertheless firmly planted somewhere in the middle, and to more than good effect. Excellent musicianship, singing, and songcraft make this well worth tracking down.
Three-fifths of the WORLD (to say nothing of the dozens of other projects they’ve had a hand in, but let’s start there) regrouped last year as FAMOUS MAMMALS, shifting their post-punk allegiance from rhythmic, sax’d-out ESSENTIAL LOGIC stylings to something closer to the shambolic UK DIY aesthetic trafficked by the HOMOSEXUALS-aligned It’s War Boys label, with instrumental credits for their debut cassette that read like a junk shop inventory list (or components of a Joseph Beuys installation, take your pick)—viola, Belgian siren, vacuum, radio, whistles, chord organ, Fluxus chairs. A clattering Rhythm Master provides that patently early ’80s chintzy analog drone, the murky psychedelia of “The Plum Overcoat” suggests that the TELEVISION PERSONALITIES really did know where SYD BARRETT lived and paid him a house call, there’s a dryly faux-Brit accented “Ode to Nikki” (I’m assuming Mr. SUDDEN; I’ve never been so sure of something being a SWELL MAPS homage in all my life), and the ode in all but title “The Observer and the Object” positions itself as a lost bedroom-spawned successor to “Dresden Style” or “Let’s Build a Car,” if there were any lingering questions as to where FAMOUS MAMMALS stand on the issue of the Godfrey brothers—I’m staunchly “pro,” by the way.
Basic funny rockin’ punk thrash that blends a lot of diversity and metal leads with satirical humor resulting in an entertaining collection of songs. The recording is live, and the cover of “Wild Thing” breaks new ground for that song alone.
Completely unrestrained weirdness, this tape is guaranteed to fry your brain after a mere ten minutes. Strongly reminiscent of early-vintage RESIDENTS, albeit with considerably more dementia, both lyrically and musically. Though inconsistent from cut to cut, FARMERS are fairly good at what they do on this tape.
Straightforward, first-stage thrash that touches base with a lot of other young hardcore bands. The potential is there, and needs time to develop. With this eleven-song studio demo comes some classic stop-and-go thrash that is dominated by severing buzzsaw sound. Basic.
A blistering thrash attack, matched by very intelligent lyrics. These guys really shred, and their material belies the current clichés about “mindless anti-government” punk rock that are bandied about in some circles.
Maximum-speed political hardcore from Portland. Gruff backups make the high-end crack of the femme lead vocals even more powerful, highlighting a band that has taken the ’00s epic hardcore model and stripped away the bullshit to expose the intensity. Songs are short and to-the-point, just fist-in-the-air defiance in the form of metal-tinged riffs and a relentless anarcho-hardcore assault.
Medium-fast punk, FLIPPER-ish drone, sharp lyrics (“Reaganomics”), funny lyrics (“Gotta Piss”), and really dumb lyrics (especially in the xenophobic “It’s Time for the Bomb Again”). They also throw in the kitchen sink, and have a ’zine called Corrugated What.
Heavy metal intros that blast wide open into rather unusual thrash, though we’re at the point were there can’t be anything too innovative in the hardcore scene, aren’t we? Anyway, it’s the emotion and enthusiasm that count, and this has it.
I have to say, this is fucking great. Which of course, doesn’t tell you anything. Well, other than I really like it. A lot. FATHERFIGURES are a new (though out of the ashes of FLIES ON YOU) quartet from the UK who gleefully take the “post-punk” moniker (think the likes of GANG OF FOUR, COCTEAU TWINS, early CURE, SISTERS OF MERCY, later period WIRE) and kick it around the park. Dark, sparse, poppy, brooding, melodic. All of that and more. It even comes with a bonus CD with remixes of half of the fourteen tracks on the actual CD, and it’s even more sparse, and dubby, and reverby, and makes the sounds sound even more like Metal Box-era PUBLIC IMAGE LIMITED. If any of this makes sense to you, dear reader, then you’ll understand just how excellent this is. Indeed.
Orlando punks outshining Mickey and Pulse. Dayglo puke-inspired color schemes instantly nauseate the listener, then you start the music—Big Man garage punk with skinny guy attitude, wicked humor, and freeform circus-prog musicianship. CARBONAS and BEAT BEAT BEAT crossed with early RANCID VAT and ZOOGZ RIFT. “Didn’t See Shit” is killer. Touch me please. I’m sick.
I mean, it’s not bad. But I feel like I’m listening to the 1971 California radio pop engine firing on all cylinders, and I don’t know why there’s this MAMAS & THE PAPAS rehash mixed in with my raging D-beat and my hardcore. Don’t get me wrong, Sweetheart of the Rodeo is an essential record (and it’s way more country than Radio Silence is), there’s just a time and a place.
Does “horror thrash” exist? If so, FEAR ITSELF plays it well, complete with metallic tinges and spooky lyrics. This contains ten cuts of whizzing thrash with slower rockin’ parts, resembling ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT. Don’t be afraid to buy this tape.
There’s something I just don’t like about this one. I feel kind of terrible saying that, but that’s where I’m at. It’s catchy and melodic and all that, but there are just too many red flags that point to the band taking themselves too seriously, starting with the name of the record. Sometimes traditional punk, sometimes almost hair metal (“It’s Time to Rock”), it just leaves me cold. And if you’re going to be bold enough to cover a band like the STOOGES, you really need to make it yours. Don’t do it like you’re a cover band.
Featuring a real live Iranian on vocals, this live tape gives the listener an echoey idea of what power thrash FEARLESS IRANIANS FROM HELL can deliver. And judging by the lyrics I could discern, they’ve got a lot to say, as well. FEARLESS IRANIANS FROM HELL, get thee to a studio, or off with your hands!
Driving, mid-tempo punk with melodic guitar work. Six songs, not overwhelming, but pretty good.
Seems to be recorded somewhere between 33 and 45 RPM, cuz it seems plausible at both speeds. This is driving, bass-heavy guitar noise stuff, sometimes quietly mad, and at other times blatantly insane. Grunge with conscious intent but really well executed.
Mid-tempo punk without too much to set it apart from the pack, save their sing-along choruses. “Bell and Dagger” is the standout.
Four tracks of pile-driving metallic punk. This trio has obviously listened to lots of early ANTHRAX and METALLICA, and end up sounding like a decent STRAW DOGS (the post FU’s metal band).
A decidedly ’60s raunch sound—’60s punk with organ, rock ’n’ roll drive, and pop melodies—all toughened up by strong rhythm guitar work. Live tape, and unfortunately not really mixed. EXOTIC HIPSTERS spinoff.
This is a wild ride. Cassette comes with no artwork whatsoever, case wrapped in duct tape, with the words FILTH GARDEN written in black sharpie across the front. I had to cut the case open to pry the cassette out from inside, revealing a black cassette with a duct tape label reading the same thing. This appears to be a live set as it is one continuous song with no breaks other than feedback which all ends with cheers and applause. Musically we’ve got drums and bass, the bass occasionally kicking on some kooky effects pedals. The tempo ranges alternating from heavy doom sounding stuff to upbeat driving riffs. It sounds very full considering it is only two instruments and a vocalist, who sounds eerily like Cronos from VENOM.
Hot punk and thrash with sing-along choruses. Words cover personal and social issues. Good straightforward stuff.
Aaaarrgggh! New hot madness strikes with this ferocious demo. New hot young band from the LA area who scorch out the speed and extreme rawness in the vein of ICONOCLAST and early FINAL WARNING. Intense lyrics with a boisterous shouter, backed by thrashing metallic grinds melting into overdrive. This grabs for the blast.
One studio side (originally intended for release by Mystic, and is classic SoCal melodic thrash) and one live side (more recent material with a definite metal edge). Both sides are good sounding, though I prefer their earlier sound by far.
Already (and justifiably) fawned over, the debut from Berlin’s FIXED LENS absolutely nails their dark goth energy, and they own the vibe instead of trying to create it. Maybe it’s looking back and reimagining with punk hindsight, but this duo makes a now-timeless sound feel brand new. I was weaned on this shit, and it’s great to hear something that doesn’t feel (at all) like a rehash. Dominant synths, barked vocals, haunting guitars, hard driving dancefloor beats that urge the tempo instead of forcing it. A powerful smash, especially as a debut.
A seven-song effort from this new Philly group. They play very fast thrash with pizazz, similar in some ways to the NEOS. It sounds real good, but I can’t tell what the hell they’re singing about.
Pretty good garage-y punk but what rules here are the straightforward thoughtful lyrics which conquer war, religion, homophobia, and more. Good sentiments.
On Side A, B.S.L. have a fast, energetic punk sound with truly progressive lyrics. FLECKS OF DROOL suffer from rather noisy sound quality, but their thrash (with good words) is pretty god. Overall, not bad.
Raging fury from New Zealand. A raw, lightning-fast explosion of boisterous momentum, delivered in a quicker skunky fashion. Strong guitar and bass keep a continual movement of booming force spurting out in flaming vigor, as exerting vocals buck out sonic assaults. Young and compelling.
This Northwest duo creates rudimentary witchy goth with repetitive programmed drums and melodies carried by single-note guitars, while both members float in the top of the mix with airy, oft-spoken vocals. Their target is in plain sight, and the fact that they land just off the mark in some places only serves to make FLEUR DU LOUVE feel more honest, more real. I’m wondering what a sophomore effort might conjure.
Seven solid songs from this New York band that form a heady brew made from RUDIMENTARY PENI-style propulsive bass and drums, the exasperated vocals of METZ, and guitars that go from punk to atonal sheets of noise like early SONIC YOUTH. These ingredients work together well, and this tape sounds great with fat drums, tinny shards of guitar that stab and slash, and vocals set back in the mix for some slight noise rock distance. The drummer-boy roll of “Nothing” is attention-grabbing, as is the shattered strumming under the refrain “Is this even ethical?” on “Ethical.” I would gladly listen to a full-length from these folks.
No, they’re not hippies, they play basic garage-y punk and HC with socially-oriented lyrics. Pretty good lyric book included.
First off, these guys have the best logo—a rubber with a mohawk. Musically, they play thrashy punk with dumb but moderately humorous lyrics. Fun in a retarded way.
Spastic, kooky, TV-obsessed punk from the Netherlands. All ten songs are super short and filled with endless mathy riffs one after the next. I am sure there’s something interesting and witty going on lyrically, but I have never seen a single episode of Saved by the Bell or Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and tho many have attempted to force it on me over the years, I do not understand Buffy the Vampire Slayer at all. It’s weird tho, cause I love just about every TV show. Looking at the other FORBIDDEN WIZARDS releases, they seem to all be based on mashed-up TV concepts. I’ll be eagerly awaiting the Stargate/Babylon 5/Sex and the City thematically mashed-up cassette and promise you I will pick up on every reference dropped.
The instrumental work on this EP, which sounds the work of an undisciplined MINUTEMEN, tends to lack focus and drive. While “Sunburn” sustains energy, the other four tunes use more complex, “funk” guitar figures that left me unexcited.
Ten songs from this new Bay Area band that has influences ranging from dirge to blues, rock, and punk. The simple melodies and complex beats add to the interest here but detract from the power, but an intensity can be felt through the raw, loud vocals.
I know that when I die and go straight to hell, I’ll be forever getting my ass thoroughly beaten by all the bands I’ve slagged, all the while being reminded of my own terrible recorded output, and thousands of other embarrassments I have created. I get it, I will totally deserve it. That being said, this CD is completely undefinable—’50s doo wop sludge but also kinda cutesy. I have no idea whatsoever what these goofballs are going for. So incredibly odd, yet completely forgettable.
FRACTURED is a new band from Montreal featuring ex-members of quite a few bands whose records are already in your collection. Their stated objective is to play “UK82 like BROKEN BONES, but at a faster pace” and that’s a good place to start. But they are far from a clone of BROKEN BONES or any UK82 band, really. In fact, that scene might have provided inspiration, but the guitar tone and overall production have a sound that is far from retro. The song structures do owe much to pre-crossover BROKEN BONES, but I feel like there is also some influence in structure and pacing from POISON IDEA and “Burning Spirits” Japanese hardcore. The guitar tone is more crisp and dry than something like BROKEN BONES—in fact, it reminds me a lot of the sound of EXIT ORDER, or maybe some of those mid-’80s Norwegian bands. All of this is to say that despite being inspired by BROKEN BONES and having some wicked Bones-inspired guitar leads, this band has a pretty fresh and original sound which draws on the rich history of the hardcore genre.
Hot dog! These weenies play driving punk of all speeds, fueled by Kool-Aid. Six originals and fun covers of “I Got a Right” and “Good Guys Don’t Wear White.” Totally wacko.
This is an album shared by two Italian bands. CONTRAZIONE are a raw outfit with a punky instrumental attack, straightforward rocking beats (including a couple of thrashers), an occasional post-punk frill (like the inclusion of a sax in “Nausea”), and incredible male/female vocal interaction. FRANTI cover a variety of musical bases, from punk (“1984″) to SIOUXSIE-like post-punk (“Questa e l’ora”) to sparse, arty numbers (“Io nella notte”).
Not quite thrash, not quite punk, not quite rock ’n’ roll, not quite identifiable, but strongly delivered. Jello says they’re great live.
Gloomy punk but energetic, not weighted down by their “depression.” There’s definite commercial leanings a la SIOUXSIE, but this is still pretty enjoyable.
If you were to pick up this record on cover art alone you’d assume that it was some kind of metal band and, well…you’d be wrong. Like way off. There’s a lot to unpack here. The vocals are gruff, but musically, this is kinda poppy but very simple-sounding; I don’t mean that in a disparaging way. It’s kind of all over the place musically and the vocals shouldn’t work with what’s going on here, but for some reason they do, and they are the biggest reason that I like this. The lyrics are sung in Spanish, which I think adds to the charm here. If they were sung in English, I think it would lose something. I think this record will be seeing a lot of time on the turntable around here.
A ripping slice of wax from this Toledo, Ohio punk/Oi! hybrid band. Not unlike fellow Midwesterners FUERZA BRUTA, who also know how to tear it up with chants and sing-alongs in Spanish, FRENTE NORTE adds a little extra jolt of positivity into the equation and even treds into pop on songs like “En La Esquina” without getting wimpy. There’s separate lyric sheets in Spanish and in English for the not so linguistically proficient such as myself which is very appreciated. Ranging from primitive NABAT-style gruff ragers like “Punk Sistema Alternativo” to AUSENCIA-like catchy fist raisers like “Atomico” to all-out feel good orchestrated COCK SPARRER anthems like “La Patrulla” there’s not really a dud here and it’s a good sell on a future trip to Toledo for this punker. Salud!
Some super-grunged out punk rock with a totally distorted guitar buzz and rockin’ crazy energy. Spazmo stuff.
I believe I reviewed this band a really long time ago. It seems like they’re still rockin’ along with their watered-down STOOGES-meets-MC5-meets-HELLACOPTERS formula. The EP title could be a nod to the 5 or even GRAND FUNK. “Degeneration Ride” is catchy as hell. Rama lama fa fa fa.
Pretty bold move to open your debut EP with a cover of the Sesame Street theme song, huh? (Though I guess it has the effect of making the rest of your songs seem that much harder in comparison.) You might recognize this Dutch trio from the Welcome to 1984 comp, sandwiched there between the STALIN and UBR. The 6 Met EP was originally released on cassette in 1983; this first-time vinyl press was done for last year’s Record Store Day. There’s a distinct UK82 feel to the driving rhythms, eminently catchy riffs and singalong refrains—think GBH or SKEPTIX—but like the best UK-influenced Euro HC bands, FRITES MODERN ramped up the intensity for some real classic tracks like “Jeugdjournaal” and “Leugenaar.” Nice crisp recording, too. Grab this if you can!
Clenched-fist kÁ¥ng fire from Belgium. They adhere to The Formula quite well: Euro D-beats, verse/chorus/verse with no funny stuff (maybe an occasional bridge), treble rebel recording, shouted earnest vocals…and a VARUKERS cover. I mean, it’s all here and they do it right.
Motor-charged D-beat from Belgium. Vocals remind me of the less melodic aspects of TURBONEGRO, maybe better to compare to NAILBITER, and the tunes overall of CHARGER, at times Scandinavian Jawbreaker-era ANTI CIMEX with the production of the ANTIMASTER/GIVE UP ALL HOPE split. What FRUSTRERAD do, they do a bit loose and predictably, but they do it well. The EP, which clocks in at just under ten minutes, happens fast, as FRUSTRERAD plays classic kängpunk from start to finish. I feel like I had to play it twice to really appreciate the subtle earnest flow of FRUSTRERAD. Their demo tape seemed to have a little more in the kick pedal but this is a solid vinyl debut, that from here I think can only gain heaviness and a shift into top gear.
Offbeat, mid-tempo punk from the hot sands of Vegas. Awkward, distorted leads cut loose every so often and high-pitched trebly bass make six strong, catchy tunes—but they for the most part take the back seat when the raspy vocals come into the light and question stereotypical, political actions. Good first effort.
Femme-fronted hardcore group from Vienna, Austria with their debut LP. I can’t decide if I like the band name or the album title better, but needless to say, they’re both amazing. Very politically-minded, they start us off with “Prime Time War,” singing “They all stare at the TV in awe / Disgusted but fascinated / And excited by the spectacle and the misery.” The song is laden with clips from newscasts and the sounds of machine guns repeating. I’m not usually into sampling like this, but it works here, reminding us of the buzzing, distracted nature of media consumption that leads to confusion and apathy. The following track “Eat Shit” is a fucking ripper, and refreshingly short after the long opener. The you-are-what-you-eat adage is put into focus with a pummeling reminder of how much plastic has made its way into our food and water systems—“Finally we are eating our own trash.” If you’re looking to get pissed à la CRASS listening, then tuck that napkin into your collar and get ready to Eat Shit with FUCK SORRY!
This was a really nice surprise in the mail. As an ex-resident of the city formerly known as San Francisco, I managed to witness this band several times throughout their career, at clubs, warehouses, and municipal waste sites that no longer exist. I saw this crew develop from a snotty hardcore band getting faster and heavier, eventually melding into the blackened, druggy beast unleashed on their Little Deputy EP and self-titled album. Their vocalist Matty improved both vocally and in fashion sense while the band got tighter and significantly more evil. This tape shows them right in the middle, I believe, showcasing all the older hits and including some excellent between-song soliloquies and wisdom. It’s raw and fucked-up as all hell and you should buy three copies immediately.
Fast but with perfect speed, raw punk and—why not?—D-beat. The name of this Californian band’s EP is as good as the record itself: “Sin Frontera Sin NaciÁ³n” (No Borders and No Nation). The drumbeat makes all the difference here, it will catch you right at the beginning, but the guitar comes sharp as a knife and stabs you in the middle of the stomach, you can feel the despair. It’s a perfect combination of LOS CRUDOS and DISCHARGE.
Tremendous explosions of maniac proportions that blisters as it smiles in triumph. Titanic nitro charges of frizzling speed and determined spunk packed by well-written lyrics snorted out in a raging fury. This entire effort reminds me of the NEOS. It is irresistible and crude, as it devastates with hammering force. A band that should not go unnoticed by compilers around the globe.
Pretty rockin’ Dutch punk and thrash that reminds me a bit of the MISFITS, especially the vocals. But the lyrics are quite political, and despite a few post-punk songs that Henk Smit hates, the rest kicks ass. Thanks to Henk!
An exceptional record that features rapidly paced power punches on one side, while the other has an approach with raw, haunting harmonies. Side A contains an odd mixture of vocals/instrumentation that works well, especially for audience participation; both lyrically and structurally, the songs are intelligently written. Side B shows the versatility of FUNERAL ORATION’s show, screaming post-punk moods. Fun Dutch music for an exciting listen.
An excellent tape that combines short, crisp, and punchy thrash with biting, satirical lyrics. Although the sound is not perfect, it’s of decent quality, and these guys rip with enthusiasm. Tight, too.
Taking shit-fi to astonishing new heights, Sweden’s FYRKANTSANDNING offers three utterly unlistenable adaptations of hardcore classics from RAPT, DOOM, and SHITLICKERS, and one original criticizing Salman Rushdie’s sexual behavior. I think that the Rushdie track is the only one with drums or vocals, and perhaps only the RAPT and SHITLICKERS tracks have bass, but honestly it’s pretty hard to tell and I’m sure that’s the point. You have likely never heard “Warsystem” sound as fucked up (read: indecipherable) as it does here, and that is most certainly an endorsement.
G2G is a DIY band out of Sydney, Australia. In this age of overproduced, over-saturated, and at times overly self-indulgent music, G2G embodies a bare-bones intensity that stands out. With songs that bring to mind various late ’70s/early ’80s female-fronted punk bands, their song structure is simple, and unadorned by instrumental frills. It sounds like three friends having fun and talking about things that are important to them—the recordings feel intimate, as though you’ve stumbled in on a practice. As a whole, this record transmits an energy that is both joyful and fierce, in a way so fitting for this moment in time. I hope there is more to come from this band.
This band seems influenced by British post-punkers LEITMOTIV, and the two faster songs here represent good examples of that taut, expressive style. The other two numbers mine a languid mood I found sleep-inducing.
A real dumb garage punk record by a geeky rock band from SF. “Racin’ for the Pink” has lots of sleazy power chords, some supercool but over-long lead solos, and background soundtracks of hot rods or cycles accelerating. Great for crusin’ with the top down! The flip combines raunch and self-explanatory grammar school sentiments. For G.G. ALLIN fans.
Cool straightforward punk’n’thrash with memorable melodies. Tight, hard, yet tuneful, especially on “TV Babies” and “Self Defense”. Get this tape!
Los Angeles-area act brings us their second release, a five-song cassette of competently-made noisy hardcore punk. If you were to strip out the slower, artsy intros on the opening and closing tracks, you’d be left with a handful of sub-two-minute tracks whose sound falls somewhere between pure crust lust and the mean hardcore of a band like STRAIGHTJACKET NATION. Imagine taking the 2011 CONVERGE/DROPDEAD split and pulling the vocals from the COVERGE side and the music from the DROPDEAD side—you wouldn’t be too far off from what we’ve got here. If that sounds like your bag, give it a go. I certainly ain’t mad at it!
A two-song job, and a curious blend of punk energy with early and progressive punk. Absolutely no info on sleeve.
The talk of Florida, these adolescent people come across in the funnypunk garage tradition. Their music is mostly in the PISTOLS and MODERN LOVERS vein, with dashes of Country & Western and thrash.
Pretty hot straightforward HC with good lyrics concerning individuality, oppression, etc. Quite enjoyable.
A damn hot first tape from this Chicago band, playing power-driving punk and thrash with a sense of melody and good lyrics. Definitely worth investigating.
Wall-to-wall, highly produced, powerfully delivered, and tightly played stop-and-go thrash. That sound generic enough? Nonetheless, these guys are good, do feature almost post-punk guitar work at times plus the tape comes with mini-zine Rancid Humanity.
Yep, here they are, performing their generic hits like, “Nuclear War Is Awful,” “Peace Is Where It’s At,” “Slam, Slam, Slam,” “Government Is Lame.” Actually, the only way I can tell it’s really them is from the flyer, because musically it’s all just one big “live” blur, making them sound like countless other generic YOUTH imitators.
This tape is produced by Art Nouveau, an indie label/record store that specializes in distributing international punk in Greece. Side A contains tracks by GENIA TOU XAOUS (Chaos Generation), who have more of an older punk style and really garagy guitar work; They also do a couple of cleanly produced post-punk gems and one spychotic screamer. The B-side is by ADIEXODO, who’ve also adopted a late-’70s punk sound, but are younger and less proficient. Write to Art Nouveau for further information.
An amazing 105-track demo that sharply hauls forth wild typhoon madness in incredible bounds. This would be a gigantic English thrash express, but with very close listenings, I noticed that some of the music wasn’t even theirs! A lot of your faves are here—B.G.K., TERVEET KÄDET, CRUDE S.S., GANG GREEN, and more—overdubbed with GENOCIDE ASSOCIATION’s exhilarating lyrics and vocal tracks. It sounds great, but I don’t think this is fair to the bands that made the music, do you?
GEO has a cowbell and they’re going to use it! The opening track of this Dutch quintet’s initial four-song cassette offering is called “Elasticate,” and that’s pretty much the modus operandi here—taut, rubbery mutant funk by way of some moderated Downtown 81/21 no wave tendencies, with conversationally depersonalized vocals, snaking bass-centered grooves, cling-clang percussion, frenetic six-string scratch sliding into restrained single-note punctuations, and brief squirming synth accents. In what seems to have become the dominant method of post-punk expression in our times, it’s all very clean and clinical (a means of forcing order upon highly unstable lived realities and certainly doomed futures?), with any pent-up kinetic urgency generally kept from spiralling out of bounds. “Hydrate” releases that tight grip ever-so slightly with its strangled shouts and squalls of jumbled guitar racket, but I’d personally love to see GEO really let loose and bump up the precarious FIRE ENGINES quotient by a couple of factors.
Basically, this is a one-man production with aspects of modern punk and lost of art-damage on top. It’s also a studio tracks tape that employs over-tracking and echoes in a way reminiscent of PRE FIX, especially in the rhythms and guitar noises.
This GEPÁ˜PEL tape is a one-man production. Niels de Wid played all the instruments on these eight songs, and also made the booklet. It’s interesting high-speed thrash (not unlike CRASS), interspersed with all sorts of weirdness and effects. Now, he’s found more band members, so the next GEPÁ˜PEL release should be even more solid.
Recorded in prison, this seemingly professionally produced cassette proves without a doubt that this Vancouver Five member can really sing the blues. I don’t doubt any word of this acoustic folk endeavor. Mellow, pretty, and not punk…but I like it anyway.
Back, with a new band (CEDAR ST. SLUTS), who are listed as, and sound like all-female (but probably aren’t). Real garagy rock’n’roll here, so bad it’s good at times—the DOLLS on a typically bad night… and then some.
Do you think that if I give this a bad review, G.G. ALLIN will stop sending me something new to review every issue? Probably not, but it’s worth a try. Here goes: The only thing smaller than this guy’s brain is his dick, which he tries to overcompensate for by writing pathetic songs (four of ’em here) of sexual degeneration. Wishes he were IGGY, but his ego’s too big to accept such “small-time” status. Okay, G.G., send the next one…
GG will never change. Rockin’ early punk-style garage numbers and every combination of obscenity and sexual depravity. We decided a woman should review GG to see if he really is offensive, and I think that if you are offended with such absurdities as “I Wanna Fuck Myself” (“cause I’m the best”) or “Needle Up My Cock” or “Kill the Children, Save the Food” and don’t see the obvious ridiculous satire, you’re just as sexually repressed as GG. If you like to hear strings of cuss words for 45 minutes, find this tape.
Basic, slow trash-thrash led by the asshole antics of none other than GG himself. Again, like all other GG material, this is beyond sexist, beyond obnoxious, beyond stupid—just simply fucked up!
An all-female combo from Switzerland, playing some pretty upbeat old-fashioned punk rock. It’s more than competent musically, and very peppy/poppy/punk. Enjoyable.
This is a release of two three-song EPs from this long-standing Finnish smart punk outfit. They got the licks, but they got the lyrics too. Just dirty grungy anthemic punk rock with an anarcho-political bent, sounds like the ’80s all over again.
A long-running Finnish outfit that has remained primarily under the radar, GIGLINGER seems content to keep plugging away at bare-bones punk rock with a distinct dark Euro vibe. Classic Finnish punk (not hardcore, punk) with touches of M.O.T.O. and EA80 makes for a compelling lo-fi listening experience. I didn’t know much of the band before this tape came across my desk, but I’m about to get hooked into a modest discography that spans more than two decades.
Nice, hard-pumping Finnish punk in a ’77-meets-’97 vein. Sorta like early RATTUS meets the KIDS meets the HIVES. Second track is a killer. Worthy of six minutes of your time, for sure.
If you’re familiar with GIGLINGER, this may be a far cry from your expectations…React starts off with an eight-minute track (the shortest of the four cuts is five-and-a-half) that mixes post-punk with jammy psychedelic noise rock. Am I at rave? A cavern in hell? Right, Finland. Looking back on their discography, I found a totally different band—straightforward, lo-fi punk that was great! Take, for example, their full-length cassette 13 from 2021, that is two sides of riff-driven, fast-paced punk rock, like a group that enjoys the DAMNED. Whether these slower, longer, more spacious songs (with a much cleaner production) are a new beginning for GIGLINGER or an experimental layover, I don’t know. I like parts of this, and I’m reluctantly pigeonholing the band by saying I miss the heart found in previous releases. But hey, they’ve been at it over two decades; it’s your band, get weird!
A five-song release of pretty high quality thrash. Lots of melody, though, no metal, tight playing, and lots of energy.
Remember what AMDI PETERSENS ARME did to stadium crust somewhere around 2000? Well, perhaps distortion-drenched noise punk D-beaters are about to take a back seat if this Hungarian band has the same impact…and if people will simply listen, then I’m sure they will. Smart, chaotic, catchy, freaky, erratic and damaged post and/or art punk injected with an absolutely unreal energy that leaps out of the grooves. Dirty (not distorted) guitars struggle to follow drums that are determined to steer clear of anything close to a “normal” beat while the bass often takes the lead—and all that madness makes it hit even harder when they all miraculously fall into the same groove (it doesn’t happen often, which just makes it more special). GIPSY SS sound like no other band, which just a small part of their appeal—they grab you and swing you around your own damn head…this is the energy that punk needs.
Pub rockers on a bar crawl stopping at different genres along the way. The guitars hug the band but aren’t especially loud. The record has a lived-in sound, which lets you hear the musicians indulge themselves with otherwise conventional rock arrangements. GLASS spends a lot of time explicitly invoking the musical past, but their own sound, at times understated but compelling and occasionally raucous, would have been enough for me.
Helter skelter demented anti-pop here from this Aussie alum of
KITCHEN’S FLOOR and others. Potentially inspired by the more
off-kilter C86 noise perpetuated by the likes of STUMP, BOGSHED, BIG FLAME, DAWSON, and the like; Decidedly non-trad but bursting with ideas and interesting sounds.
What a delight. The A-side is unabashed BIG FLAME worship: scattershot rhythms, rubber band bass, and cheese-grater guitar skitter around a freshly waxed KITCHEN’S FLOOR; melodic vocals tiptoe gingerly through the room in search of a tune. Three minutes and forty-seven seconds of beautiful incoherence. The flipside is a little less frenetic—you could almost call it tuneful—but no less brilliant. For devotees of the scratchy, insolent, gruff-witted Ron Jonson era of post-punk; the crowd for whom “C86” is more than a lazy descriptor for wimpy jangle-pop.
GLENHEADS definitely have the requisite weirdness to succeed in the experimental biz, but none of the talent for creating noise that eats away at your cortex. Tesco would know what I mean. Basically, it’s self-indulgent pop-influenced experimental material with a lot of vocal treatments. I don’t like it.
This San Antonio band is one big, sloppy party. Like all good Texas groups such as BANG GANG, they are hard to pin down in any square hole category. Musically ranging from hardcore to prog to metal to “Wooly Bully”?! Yes, it’s that kind of party. Personally I prefer the weirder numbers like “Backpage (Saved My Life)” but there’s something here for the whole dysfunctional family in your life. These are big men with big musical ideas and while it might not totally be what I’m into, a taco is a taco nonetheless.
There’s some sinister chain punk coming out of this band from Montreal. Their demo from 2022 was a solid blast of whipping, mean hardcore, and this 7” continues the assault. The four tunes here put a darker and bleaker feel to the menace with compelling results. I love the premature fade-out on the closing track, it makes the record feel like some type of unfinished riddle that I immediately need to play again to figure out.
Somewhat garagy and loose, but more than made up for by the sheer zest and crunch. Cool guitar and good drumming center this ripper. Lots of thrash and a good cover of “I Wanna Be Your Dog,” all done with lots of power. Good punk lyrics as well.
Damn, this EP is brutal. This is some classic straightedge hardcore. Feels like I picked this up from the back of some distro catalog in the late ’90s. If you ever needed a proper example of fastcore, this is it right here. Drums are absolutely incredible on this recording, easily the most intense part—loud, in-your-face, and tight as hell. Very reminiscent of early WEEKEND NACHOS, and with breakdowns much like DAMNATION A.D. Blink and it’s over, but that’s the way hardcore should be!
Well, not godlike, but a pretty god showing with garage-y energy and silliness. Good “Sesame Street Theme” cover. Fun.
Power dual guitar HC with a tasteful metallic touch, this is a fantastic tape, too bad it wasn’t an LP. Nine great songs, imagine SNFU crossed with SSD, NEGATIVE APPROACH. Yeah! Damn good, get this.
From the home of much delightfully weird-ass punk, Bloomington, IN, comes this aged punker duo. It’s just bass and drums and like other fave two pieces—MENTAL PYGMIES, C AVERAGE and QUEEN COBRA (well technically they had a drum machine)—the sound is upfront and raw. Lend some CIRCLE JERKS-esque hardcore hooks to some DESCENDENTS pop sensibilities and add a positive message or two to the mix and you got a damn good Tuesday night. Beautifully packaged tape. “O.A.D.” is brilliant.
I can hear this band blasting in the background of a Vegas tattoo studio. I mean, I guess I get it, but it did not do a lot. The record is pretty monotonous throughout. If you are a big crossover fan, I can see this clicking. The cartoon artwork is cool.
Pop female BLONDIE-ish vocals set to early crunch punk sound. Vocals ruin it completely, and the BEATLES cover doesn’t make it.
They claim to be some former GRIM REALITY members, but I’m pretty sure Jello slipped in some rare early HALF JAPANESE tape to fool me. It has that totally primitive, raw, and untogether feel… that “we suck and we don’t care” attitude. Bonkers.
Alex Sandoval’s bedroom solo project from Salt Lake City, Utah merges lo-fi with softcore egg-punk, blending programmed drums that lack force and a submarine telephone conversation effect on the vocals that make it quite monotonous. Some guitar riffs are sweet and in line with egg-punk referents PRISON AFFAIR. This one might be right up your alley if you dig everything eggy, but it just didn’t hit the spot for me.
Nasty and hopelessly infectious lo-fi Illinois punk. You ever wonder what would happen if MC5 rebirthed themselves as a 2010s emotive and hi-NRG indie pop band? Because that’s the shit that’s on my plate at the moment, and I don’t really know what I’m supposed to do with it. You ever listen to a sound and instantly know that it hits you in some kind of way, but not know what kind of way that is…? That’s what’s happening to your humble reviewer right now. It’s not even on the internet, so I feel like I’m on this island alone…but I like how this island sounds.
18 short blasts of repetitious DISCHARGE-ish thrash with horrific lyrics mostly dealing with war. Neat lyric booklet, pretty good job.
Was expecting gloom and doom, but got some varied innovative thrash with funny lyrics, one song being a gloom satire. Contains live and studio material.
Jeez. I feel like I’ve reviewed this same band nine zillion times. TURBONEGRO was an interesting band, at least in the Ass Cobra days, because they had crazy record collections for influence, had members who were well-entrenched in the ’80s Norwegian punk scene with some of them being genuinely insane characters, they had the POISON IDEA connection, and they were doing something fairly original and funny after years and years of failure. Now some 30 years later, some Buffalo yahoos think they can slap on some stiff denim and runny eye makeup and think I’m even going to give a shit. GOVERNESS has the obvious DICTATORS and DEAD BOYS influences, and they are really decent musicians. They write some OK versions of glammy guitar punk and and put their pierced tongues firmly in butthole with the customary gay innuendo humor, such as on “Midnight Swordfight.” Fuck, I don’t know. Maybe if I was younger and less jaded I might be more aroused by this, but instead I’m left bored, tired, and limp in my jeans. Zzzzz.
From the title and cover art, one could assume that this was some long-lost ’80s skate punk demo, but GRASPING AT PIECES is a nowadays Alabama band of teen punks who can’t be any older than sixteen. It’s exactly what punk should sound like when you’re that age, and it’s exactly what I remember high school punk bands sounding like when I was that age. They got turned on by whatever their gateway band was, got a guitar, learned a power chord and how to play it fast, found some friends to play drums and bass, and ran with it. Every song on here is fast, snotty and less than a minute, and the titles tell you everything: “Don’t Touch My Vans,” “Puke,” “Bible Belt.”
Searing trash with tinges of that old metal stuff. Very professional (in the good sense) packaging and production, which makes for a rad tape.
An offbeat mixture of melodic mid-tempo awkward punk and hyper-speed thrash accented with heavy Spanish vocals. Tempo changes are quick, powered by demanding, clever guitar licks. Seven songs that are kept to a fast pace and a potent foreign hardcore feel.
This tuneful band has a lot of SoCal history, with ex-members of JOYRIDE, MANIC HISPANIC, CADILLAC TRAMPS, and DI. This also includes a song by Steve Soto, who was also in JOYRIDE. This reminds me of the country side of recent SOCIAL DISTORTION, with nice harmonies and instrumentation. Not for thrashers, but this is pretty good stuff for the aging punk circuit.
This record smokes. The former members thing is really going to help out here because it does totally sound like folks from CITIZENS ARREST, NEMA and HELL NO play in this band. Straight, up-tempo hardcore filled in with heavy breakdowns (well, it’s all pretty heavy) and a slight nod toward the metal side of things without ever really getting there. What differentiates this from those folks’ old bands is that it has a brightness in the guitar sound (and recording in general) that really makes it pop. Not saying it makes it better than that old stuff, it just makes it feel fresh. Did I say that this record smokes?
High quality post-punk on this one. It’s got a really good, driving, steady beat; neat whooshing guitars; and a lead singer who has a sort of FALL-type approach. Good job.
Is it hard for anyone else out there to relax? With the doomy vibes weighing heavy in all the same ways (climate in crisis, bloated military spending, killer cops, bigotry and violence), it takes a lot to get me to take a deep breath of relief. But that’s exactly what I got out of this stunning full-length of crisp, ripping hardcore from this Oakland group. There’s a distinct Bay Area grit to these eleven cuts, captured perfectly in the band’s rehearsal space and mixed/mastered/released by themselves. It hits hard as nails—there’s heft in the low end and clarity in the guitars, something other home recorders could take some notes on. On top of that, the songs bleed with passion and cut through the crowded HC landscape with ingenious guitar work that consistently caught me off guard. On top of all that, all the band’s proceeds (including T-shirt sales) go toward G.L.I.T.S., so while the world may be a miserable place, GREYHOUND is out there doing the good work. Real deal.
Strong, powerful punk and HC with a gritty metallish guitar sound. OK lyrics, fairly original, overall, a pretty impressive showing.
The band’s name says it all: this is a series of demented versifications backed by a kind of improvisational MINUTEMEN style. An eccentric concept with interesting results, but not astounding.
Talk about a funk time warp—Philadelphia’s GRUMBLE will drag you into another dimension. Thought stinky region rock was a thing of the ’90s? Welcome to 2023, my friends. Gruff, catchy, urgent…reared on a diet of SHOTWELL ’80s punk, and ready to lend you a helping hand when you need it. “I’d be a virgin if I only had the time” might be the best lyric of the month…or my life.
Solid hardcore with blackened vocals from this Vancouver band. Similar negative vibes, if not quite as unhinged, as GEHENNA or TRAP THEM, with the death metal-leaning vocals stealing the show. Four tracks of nihilistic punk taking aim at religion, hypocrisy, prejudice, and humans in general. Warm, thick recording of bad attitudes in action. Strong first release.
Mid-tempo thrashed-out funnypunk. The music becomes a diverse punk sound set to hilarious lyrics helped out by a classic snotty vocal style. With song titles like “She Only Loves Me When She’s Stoned,” there is a lack of depth in the material, but it does bring on a nice demented chuckle.
The latest release from Paris-based GUIMAUVE. When listening to the intro, I was initially given the impression that I had been assigned some terrible electro-industrial punk record to review for some reason—thankfully, for the sake of my own mental well-being, this was not the case. In reality, this is six tracks (intro notwithstanding) of solid, POISON IDEA-influenced hardcore punk. It’s not too shabby, although it’s probably not something I’d ever feel the need to revisit. Certainly not bad though, and worth a listen if you’re interested.
Hmmm. These guys are a guitar pop band with some psychedelic pretensions. They’re pleasant enough and a bit clever, but the songs don’t quite stick and the guitars could be heavier. The biggest problem, though, is that the songs often shift into a weak commercial pop mode just when they start rockin’ (as with “Double Standards”).
Effective mix of pop and savage hardcore from this Adelaide band. Featuring distorted bass, drums, and crystal-clear keyboards, the songs are immediate ear candy while still retaining a punk edge. The band effortlessly switches from pop-leaning femme gang vocals to raw hardcore hollers, all under classic rock’n’roll keys. The lyrical themes cover inequality, nationalism, colonialism (the band makes a point that the EP was recorded on stolen Aboriginal land), and personal thoughts on homelife. The Korean-language track “Goyangi” has the line (through a translator on my part), “the best of the best is a Cuddle Sandwich Skeleton cat sleeping in my arms forever.” I can get down with that. Serious and catchy, cute not cutesy; this was a treat.
This is slick-sounding melodic punk that is probably heavily influenced by bands who have done stints on Warped Tour, probably have records on labels like Hopeless, Drive-Thru, and the like, and use the word “emo” to describe their sound. If things like Myspace and Warped Tour still existed, this band would probably be relatively “big,” I imagine.
A live recording that mostly consists of long, extended jam-type songs. They integrate jazz and funk rhythms into a sort of cockeyed bluesy rock ’n’ roll format. Although they’ve come a long way from their charmingly psychotic teen-torture years, I personally wish they’d go back. Then again, most of us “grow up” sometime, for better or worse.
Ultra-fast thrash similar to DRI or CAUSE FOR ALARM with personal and political words. The sound quality detracts a little, but with time, these guys could develop into an awesome force.
Hot screaming thrash and slower mosh madness. But what I really dig are the positive lyrics that aren’t to criticize the “born again straight edge” movement. Too cool! Keep it up, guys.
Some pretty hot stuff here. This is straight, urgent thrash with a good amount of musical variation. Lyrics seem to concentrate on torture. Good effort.
Current D.C.-area folks playing ’90s-style D.C.-area post-hardcore with hints of Chicago-style noise rock from the same era. Four songs that give you the heavier, more punk feel of bands like SOULSIDE with the aesthetic of later ’90s stuff like SMART WENT CRAZY or Q AND NOT U. The second track is the best example, where jagged hardcore and staccato vocals mix with spacey synth parts and heavily treated drums. Would love to hear a studio full-length.
Well done pop-punk, but the vocals are mixed way up front (and are a bit annoying), and the music itself is so produced that it loses a lot of bite.
Four doses of dreary German punk that start out more than a little reminiscent of a rudimentary EA80, but far rougher around the edges. While I appreciate the intent and approach, the execution leaves a lot to be desired, and I find myself listening to HAPPY KADAVER for what they will become instead of what they are…and then they change course and I find myself listening to a mediocre, mid-tempo German bar punk band and wishing I were listening to a mediocre German dreary punk band, and then…then, I start to question my life choices.
A live recording with ten songs. It’s somewhat garagy in terms of sound quality, and since it’s live there’s a lot of wanking going on. The music is sort of jazzy, metallish thrash, with quirky parts and post-punky vocals that remind me a bit of SF’s old WOUNDZ.
Considerably better than the average “positive” act, these guys play mostly straight HC, but it’s got a good sense of personality. Honest, optimistic lyrics, also worth checking out.
With his debut CD after his “Forget It” single from Fall 2022, HAYES NOBLE brings forth a shoegaze wall of sound. And literally, there’s a lot of shoegazing in his “Forget It” music video, as he swims in a pool fully clothed, wearing black-and-white Chucks. This kid’s seventeen, but has clearly done his homework on the indie/alt/grunge genres, as the songs are tight and engaging. The light-hearted, higher vocal register of BUILT TO SPILL, mixed with J Mascis’s heavy, blurred guitar lines. But HAYES, come on, Head Cleaner? This should really be a cassette release, just saying. All told, a warm and fuzzy good listen.
Quirky überdorks retaliate, freek punks unite, true weirdos activate, challenging music bring to the fight. Imagine some Rough Trade talent scout meets D. Boon and/or Will Shatter at a TEENAGE JESUS gig in ’78 and says, “yo, check this fish-needs-a-bike single BLURT is gonna release in three years” and those California dudes just run with it. Weird, right? I don’t think Rough Trade employees said “yo” in 1978, but you get my point. Also, I’m guessing HEALTHY COMPETITION, being from Minneapolis, have seen URANIUM CLUB more than twice. Bloviating aside, this demo is really good, and sets a dangerous expectation for future success.
I don’t know if these Leeds-based lads met at uni, but you could assume so from the sound of this tape. It’s all a bit erudite, showing off tidy proceedings of wiry guitar interplay with a healthy dollop of apathetic vocalizing that I’m sure the band is tired of hearing compared to PARQUET COURTS (that first one, though, when everyone thought they’d be the new PAVEMENT). I like the songs here overall, they’re not breaking any new ground but the melodies stick in your head and there’s enough variety to keep you engaged. I’m not entirely sold on the vocals on second cut “The Athlete,” but I stand firm that very few bands can pull off talk verses in this day and age. Leave it to LEWSBERG and URANIUM CLUB, that’s my advice. At the end of the day, this is a demo, and it sounds like it. I wish them well, and with some seasoning in the pan they could cook something with confidence down the line.
A simple guitar, drum, and bass playing basic raw punk rock’n’roll Á la ’76. Nothing spectacular but enjoyable in its basic nature. Pretty garagy, but the spirit is right.
The punchy, evocative sound of the HECKLERS is really cool. Though eclectic—one can discern pop, thrash, rockabilly, and country influences—it’s got drive, imagination, and a well-defined rock ’n’ roll aesthetic. The occasional harmonica also adds distinction.
Bringing gruff punk stylings out of Columbus, HELL IS HERE shifts between metallic D-beats and traditional USHC energy on this seven-song tape. They have a penchant for brevity, with songs clocking in at run times of twenty-six and even eleven seconds. They paint bleak pictures in their brief lyrics, and the music is hard but basic. It feels like an embryo that has potential to grow into a monster like Portland crushers NEGATIVE PRAYER or something like that.
A high-quality studio tape from this funnypunk HC band. No accompanying info, so all I can say is that they play tight, fast, clean thrash/punk with good melodies and dopey lyrics. OK?
Demo by HELLISH INFERNO from Oakland, CA. Seeing their band name, it looks like it’s a DIATRIBE reference. Sounding more like a modern approach to raw punk/D-beat than another relentless rehash of the ’80s, something that has an influence from bands along the lines of CONDITION, MAUSER, or early PARANOID. Despite its artwork and the reference, it does have slight similarities with the more hardcore side of the genre with ex-local peers like TØRSÖ, yet with appropriate amount of dirge and nastiness to be considered a crust band.
Boy, if you’re put off by the trash pizza cover art, I don’t blame ya. It’s fuckin’ rough. Luckily, the music on it is much better than the visual aesthetic would suggest. The ’70s STONES-style riffing makes this one very easy to enjoy, but the dude’s vocal style put it over the top for me. It’s so laid back and matter of fact that it becomes almost comical. It’s a strange choice that I’m really enjoying. The overall effect, especially on the superior A-side, kinda reminds me of a way (way) less jammy SPACIN’ or something of that ilk. Look, I know this one’s a hard sell, but I really think it’s worth your while to try to put the cover art aside and give it a fair shot. It’s definitely a keeper to my ears.
This record has an exuberant, slapdash feel, as if it were recorded on a whim. The drums have a honky-tonk stride with fuzzed-out guitars tilting the sound back towards garage. There are other qualities that feel more bar-room than studio: the group vocals, the feedback, and big, brash bass. Now all we need are some puddles of spilt beer and we’re set.
Formerly PLASMID, this band drives to sheer quickness of distortion and abrasive thrash. The combination of DISORDER meets WHITE CROSS is how this band sounds, and at that level, your eyes will pop out since this rips. This will be the next cult band. Forget DRI. Here’s HERESY. ’Nuff said.
Containing both live and studio material, this tape demonstrates HEX’s powerful anti-state message as well. There isn’t as much bass as I’d like to hear, the sound quality is good and there’s plenty of powerful music, as well as chants, rants, interspersed sound effects, and literature. Concerns are predictable: bomb, anti-vivisection, politicians. Good chaps.
Frantic, straightforward punk from Japan. Just two tracks here—”Absurdity” spends three minutes drilling two three-chord riffs into the ground and I’m fucking here for it. I’m also here for “I Was Born,” which is only slightly longer and uses only slightly more riffs. The vocals are the focal point—anxious and manic, fronting a dirty and energetic punk attack. The only thing I want is more tracks!
More pandemic projects are gonna roll in over the next months, and I welcome the experimentation. HIGHWAY STACY is the brainchild of Tyler Shults (COLLICK, OCCULT DETECTIVE CLUB) and is a seriously superb departure from previous projects. Angry, noisy, frustrated, pissed, dark…it’s as if HIGHWAY STACY trudges their way through these five pieces of No Wave no-punk as an act of morose defiance without joy or purpose, just to make a point. To close with the desecration of the GIZMOS track “Pay” is a move that closes this release appropriately: with the listener feeling dirty. Inside. Physical copies are criminally limited with handmade/decorated covers, but now I have glitter all over my hands from taking it out of the case so maybe you’re better off.
Powerful post-punk for the most part, but occasionally wimping out. The material that’s most gripping is in the JOY DIVISION tradition.
The cover of this album features a bunch of skeletons at a show while, presumably, the three members of HINGE clink some beer bottles together. Some of those skeletons are wearing NOFX and PENNYWISE shirts. So, before one even puts on the album, you get a pretty good inclination of what’s in store. As hypothesized by looking at the cover, what we have here is a carbon-copy of ’90s skate punk of the Fat Wreck/Fearless variety. There is a certain sect of people who never moved on from that stuff and still dig it and this is definitely geared toward them.
Super punk garage snot that’s more for the greasy than thee arty! Dual male/female vocals that remind me of a less frantic KRUNCHIES, this is sorta veering more towards Roehrs-core, if that means anything to you!!! I can visualize him at the front of the show pumping his fist to this straightforward meat ’n’ potatoes punker frenzy from Saskatchewan. The hit songs are “Skull Chain” and “Nothing”: both killer jams that stand out and if I was still a disc jockey I would play them on my radio show! Psyched they sent two copies.
PiL meets the SHAGGS, CRAMPS, and BUTTHOLE SURFERS on a bad ’60s acid trip, stumble over FLIPPER’s corpse, and rise (barely) above the basement. Enter the ghost of the 13TH FLOOR ELEVATORS, and you have it. These guys prove that SKY SAXON is dead!
These San Jose bros smoke big weed. Seriously. Think big joints, high fives, and inside jokes. It’s like ANDREW W.K. meets FRANK ZAPPA, the RESIDENTS, S.O.D., and SKATENIGS. It works for me on the moodier, noisier numbers like “Donner, Party of 4,” but most of this is past my caring. They could share a bill with M SECTION (reviewed last month) quite nicely. Cool.
Punk of all speeds with some rock influences (solos, etc). Pretty interesting sound textures, a good amount of innovation. Pretty good.
A rough-quality four-song demo that contains some excellent material. It’s tight, with intensely gruff vocals and a great, almost BUZZCOCKS-like poppy thrash attack. HOMO PICNIC contains a kernel of ex-KREMLIN KORPS personnel.
A self-admitted silly name, but the music and lyrics aren’t. While sometimes metallic, they are pretty energetic and straightforward instrumentally, with lyrics that are well thought out and somewhat political, though not dogmatic.
This band covers familiar territory—mid-tempo hardcore with dark, sarcastic lyrics—without much in the way of originality. Still, this record boasts good production, full guitars, and solid lyric concerns. I just can’t get excited over it.
Two Richmond bands share this tape—HONOR ROLE and GRAVEN IMAGE. The former is a bit better recorded, but it matters little since both produce great manic blasts of hardcore hysteria. (Uh oh, I’m starting to sound like Pushead.) Send away.
There’s a lot going on here. Brutal mosh metal beatdown hardcore drops out of the middle of a crossover thrash riff…and then the melodic singalongs in “SD 9.3″ seem to come out of nowhere. Kinda like the solos in “Postman on Fire.” And then we’re back to a Milano Mosh for “Bucks & Bullets.” And so goes most of (Presenting) The Hook—’80s NY thrash, ’00s NYHC, dogpiles and spin kicks, old school metalcore, and sooo many crew backing vocals—and it all slays. Only five tracks, but there’s more action on this tape than on most double-LPs.
“Expand Your Mind and Shorten Your Life” is one of the six songs here, and that typifies the “zany” outlook expressed by this combo. Musically they play a grungy, noisy but tight garage metal-tinged thrash. Unique.
A tight German thrash-oriented outfit with imagination. These guys burn at high speeds, but also add complex, tuneful elements without even batting an eye. Someone should help H.O.A. put out vinyl immediately.
Some pretty melodic punk and thrash with gruff vocals and tight musicianship emerges from this tape. It proves that more than tomatoes can grow out of the dust of California’s Central Valley.
This is exactly what I want in a punk demo! Every song a nasty punk hit played fast and spastically on the verge of falling apart. This demo somehow embodies that feeling you get when first delving deeper into the world of punk, going from entry-level bands to the real deal. That feeling of excitement mixed with a tiny amount of fear. HOTMOM has me thirsty for more. Thankfully searching around on the internet I was able to find that they’ve got a slew of other demos out. Phew!
A sloppy, messy version of RKL? These guys do have potential, and with time, they’ll rock like crazy.
A swell mixture of vigorous thrash and enjoyable ’77-ish punk, accented by socio-political lyrics questioning oppression and war. “Extremes from Both Sides” is the standout cut, musically and wordwise.
Yeah! Straightforward punk tuneage with great lyrics that show a good perspective on human relations. Hell, these guys are “harder” than most other acts who claim to be “hardcore.” Thumbs up!
Debut EP from this two-piece German synth punk band named after the classic WIRE track. Hiding their identities behind fly masks, this duo produces chilly post-punk with dirty bass, buzzing organ, and a vintage drum machine. Sounding like a familiar blend of old and new, I hear WIRE (obviously), SUICIDE, GRAUZONE, and maybe some COLD CAVE. These three songs sound full with layered keys and melodic, dispassionate singing. The clear production and upfront vocal delivery put an emphasis on the keyboard and bass interplay, where the minor chord progressions create tension and a feeling of unease. This would fit nicely on a post-punk or darkwave mixtape. Worth checking out!
I AM THE FLY is a synth punk duo out of Essen, Germany. The players here identify as “Musca domestica ♂” and “Musca domestica ♀,” so that should give you a pretty good idea of what we’re dealing with. The music is pretty by-the-book for this kind of stuff—skittery drum machine beats, post-punky bass lines, and kitschy sci-fi synths. The vocal delivery falls somewhere between a sing-songy chat and like a dry physics lecture. It’s clearly a choice—one that might even work were the lyrics less awkward! Instead we’re getting clunkers like “The least enjoyable part of my existence / Is your existence.” I’m sure I would have been kinder to the record had the lyrics been in German, but I still don’t think there’s enough going on here to say that I would have enjoyed these songs—an assessment I feel pretty shitty about making seeing as how I only speak one language and cannot, for the life of me, write music. So, if you’re less likely to be annoyed by lyrics and just love downer-y robotic synth punk, give this a go.
Melodic punk heavy on the crunchy guitars, with vocals that give ‘em just the slightest redneck tinge, like NINE POUND HAMMER on a slowed-down ’90s Fat Wreck tip. Super pro recording, and it’s hard to deny the chops—nice and simple gets the job done here.
Now released in the U.S, these excellent Italian bands provide further proof that Italy is producing some of the most exciting and powerful hardcore bands around. The sound quality is excellent, so each group has the opportunity to really kick ass. C.C.M.F.’s “400 Fascists” is a minor classic.
For the last few years, the German underground scene has been spitting out one killer combo after another. These groups range from hardcore units finding new wrinkles in their chosen style to genre-defying post-punk projects that utilize new ways to incorporate electronics into a rock format. I.G. is a duo attempting to update Germany’s early ’80s Neue Deutsche Welle scene for today’s hyperspeed reality. This initial offering’s title (and presumably the band’s name) translates to English as “Isolation Community,” so you know they’ve got the quarantine blues something fierce. The music errs more towards OMD’s mersh aspirations than DAF’s razor-sharp electronic come-ons. This kind of understated new wave pomp (a contradiction in terms) needs really strong songs to pierce my veil of indifference. The aggressive “Gelande” comes close but is still betrayed by keyboard lines that sound straight out of a Sega Genesis game. “Schockstarre” is grimy and foreboding and probably my favorite track here.
They describe themselves as playing “somewhere between metal and punk.” Yes, it’s true. They do. Honest. Sort of a MISFITS on downers. Actually, it’s more melodic metal than punk.
Seven well-produced, tight, and blazing fast songs appear on ICONOCLAST’s debut release. The lyrics put them decisively in the anti-war/”peace punk” camp, and as far as I’m concerned, there can’t be too many bands like this. Get it.
C’mon now, of course I like this. Pummeling old-school punk with snappy riffs, a nice touch of damage, some neat spooky parts, and an overall cool feel. It’s one guy from Philly playing all the instruments and an awesome female vocalist, and it rules. No immediate comparisons come to mind, and that’s always a good thing. Great tape. I was going to put a couple songs I like the best here, but nah, I like all these.
From a vocal standpoint, this is like a rawer version of early PERE UBU…or maybe CAPTAIN BEEFHEART. Otherwise, IDLE WORKSHIP has a goofy sort of straight-ahead garage attack.
Containing some ex-members of STRES D.A., this band plays semi-tuneful thrash, unrelenting in pace and featuring raw and rapid lead guitar, hoarse vocals, and pounding toms. Well done.
This band opts for a metal-thrash approach incorporating a power-chord orientation with the strong influences of SSD (in some of the squiggly guitar solos), DIE KREUZEN (the anguished vocals), and DISCHARGE (in the basic song structures). The compositions on this 12″ exhibit fine energy and commitment, though they only occasionally assert any degree of originality. Basically OK, I guess.
A rippin’ little tape. Full of sharp lyrics, tuneful-as-hell thrash, and an upbeat attitude. Another fine band out of Canada with a good debut.
This is the second release from Melbourne’s IMPERIAL LEATHER—their first was a cover of the classic BONA DISH track “8 AM,” which they nailed. This latest 7″ gives us a feel for the band’s songwriting. The A-side has a garage revival/new wave feel to it, surf beat with deadpan vox and a vintage keyboard sound that wails, bringing to mind the DELINQUENTS or GOMME. The B-side has the bones of a cool rockabilly ballad, but feels a bit sparse. Though their simple song structure lends a charming quality, I look forward to seeing how this band evolves musically, I can see them exploring some interesting terrain.
Powerviolence out of Portland teetering more on the trashier side. Hard for me to not compare these guys to MAN IS THE BASTARD seeing as they’re a bass/drums combo, but that’s what I’ll have to default to here because…well, they sound a lot like them! They also give off a SPAZZ/CAPTAIN THREE LEG vibe, as their riffs are catchy and melodic. For just being two people, they sound massive and super heavy. Drums sound natural, which is always an A+ in a genre that resorts to triggers.
Could you guess they’re speedcore? Pretty good actually, though the drumming lags a bit. Gruff vocals and raunchy thrash guitar with metal inflection. Practice tape but decent sound quality.
Really bass-heavy political mid-tempo punk. Good and raw, with intelligence and anger, this band has got lots of potential. Classic line on their lyric sheet: “Eat shit—50,000,000 flies can’t be wrong.”
“On the Warpath” is the title translated (as are all the lyrics on a poster insert), and an accurate one it is—raging from beginning to end. Stylistically, they cover a lot of bases from straight thrash, metal thrash, country thrash, punk…all done really well. Lots of power, great lyrics, female shouter are characteristics here, so I have no problem recommending it.
Two doses of downtuned Euro crust/grind, with two bonus doses of the same unforgiving assault from 2014 included as a bonus on the physical version. High/low vocals and erratic metallic song construction all work together to create something not far removed from mid-’90s Per Koro fodder, but with a keener ear towards blistering metalcore and beatdown hardcore. It’s a lot, and Austria’s INDOCTRINATE crams it all in.
Quick punk with a melodic edge. Relatively memorable stuff, but only three tunes.
Pretty grunged out noise from this young act, who crank it out sloppy, loud, and aggressive. A pretty good start.
Hard-ass thrash with a hefty supply of unique twists and turns. Hyperactive lunacy at its best. Quality stuff here.
Another killer band from Oklahoma City, makes me wonder when punks outside of the Bible and/or Grain Belts gonna start paying attention. Relentless bleak crust unhindered by fashion and trend, INFERNA make black metal guitar sound like they belong in a 1-2-1-2 hardcore stomp just as the chaotic structures sound completely at home breaking up the would-be-monotony of by-the-numbers nihilism. Check the fukkd bass that ushers in the brutal four plus minute reality of “Insurmountable Barrier,” and you are reminded what honesty sounds like—as in “this is what we are giving you, and we are giving you everything.” Raw and real, which is exactly how I like my punk.
A fiery eruption of clamorous urgency, storming out insistent pursuits of turbulent aggression into crushing unrestrained power. INFERNO boils over in flailing thrash excitement. A blazing outfit of riveting nitro speed and amplified havoc, much like the BASTARDS or the NEOS. Crank this one into the reels and explode.
Extremely aggro thrash with slight metallic tinges. The guitars are fuzzed out, the lyrics are mainly social, the emphasis seems to be on the overwhelming power, which is a little squelched by the noisy production.
Yet another insane Italian act blasting out lunatic heartfelt thrash. Lyrics seem to be of a political nature. A definite thumbs up.
Uh-oh, Swedish thrash madness strikes hard here. Wild and grinding, with a Japanese speedcore flavor to it. Outrageous stuff, with crazy vocal antics and lots of laughter and wicked thrills to bend your brain at. Yes, this has potential; blasts the wax right out those ears. INGRON HUTLÖS is a name to remember.
Very powerful HC with metallish influences and intelligent words covering war, capitalism, right wingers in the punk scene, and more. Also includes a booklet which explains their lyrics further. Pretty damn impressive.
A four-song demo in the old no wave punk-funk tradition. Actually, it sounds somewhat refreshing now, though it sure got to be stale back then…
Pretty intense garage-y punk’n’thrash with a fair amount of innovation. The coolest part is the ferocious female screamer. Keep up the good work.
The debut release from Berlin’s INNOCENT BLISS is a sampling of hardcore punk with some traces of more post-hardcore-type sounds. Not too much grabs this reviewer’s attention on this demo, but it certainly isn’t a bad effort either. This is eleven-odd minutes of entirely serviceable hardcore—nothing more, nothing less.
The INOCENTES present brutal ’77 punk on the A-side of their first solo effort, while the flip contains three very powerful thrashers. All the cuts feature a roaring instrumental attack, and “Apenas…” also contains some quick bursts of searing lead guitar. Excellent.
Don’t know too much about this (no song titles, even) except that it’s pretty good; crunchy mid-tempo punk with quite a bit of experimentation. Some slow doomy stuff, too. Cool.
Once again, the INSTIGATORS treat us to a live tape, this one recorded on their recent U.S. tour. Ten hard, melodic songs, most previously released. Good.
Yet another INSTIGATORS live tape, displaying their catchy melodic sound. There’s no doubt they’re a great band, but are all these cassettes really necessary?
Face it, if you haven’t heard the INSTIGATORS yet, you’re a worm. But here’s your chance to snatch up to 13-songs of their hard melodic sound captured in a live setting. A damn fun tape.
Very well-produced power thrash. This is hard-hitting, head-on, stop-and-go hardcore. No frills, no innovations, and lots of tight meat-cleaver stuff. Good lyrics, too.
Self-examination and resulting rebellion are the lyrical themes of this Down Under band, delivered in a punk/Oi style that’s simple but effective. Then, suddenly they leap into a thrasher with a female screamer. Then back to older, traditional punk sounds. I liked the exception the best, but maybe they need the slow curves to set up the fastball.
Although I love stupid humor, these guys go a bit too far with their anal/penile humor which gets annoying and, at times, insulting to certain people. Hey, they said it was shit, not me.
Eight songs of melodic, choppy Midwestern popcore with a lot of emphasis on lead guitar. The solid songwriting chops and earnest vocals are making me think of STRAWMAN (maybe it’s an Ohio thing) and in their finest moments (to these ears, particularly the song “Evaporate”) they sound like outtakes of Grant Hart-sung HÜSKER DÜ material. There are places where the guitar leads are a bit overdone—but with some trimming of the fat and a bit more focus on the buzzsaw melodies, INVISIBLE ENGINE could be quite a unit.
Tight but relatively indistinct hardcore. All the ingredients are there, but nothing really sticks in my mind afterwards. More tuneage!
This sometimes self-consciously bizarre EP uses a funny variant on a rap style on “Gödel Escher Bach: The Eternal Golden Rap,” while the two songs on the flip use a trebly synth (played quickly and seemingly at random) to underscore some similarly humorous lyrics. Strange, and basically okay.
An audiovisual introduction to El Sobrante and “Sobcore;” an hour’s worth of catchy spastic punk tunes with surprisingly serious lyrics, plus plenty of zaniness and personality. Includes a lyric booklet and miscellaneous objects from El Sobrante. You’ve heard the name, you’ve seen the pictures, now get the tape—all for the very low price of…
A lo-fi punk release dripping with the sneer and attitude to rival CRASS. Yes please! North Carolina’s ISS is back again with a short cassette that is really restoring my faith in humanity at the moment. It’s lines like “You need a face mask on / It not only helps stop the spread of communicable viruses and diseases / But it also helps stop the spread of your ugly fucking mug to the rest of us” that really fill my heart with joy. The post-punk-esque vocal delivery and contorted drum machines give me flashes of SUICIDE, while the angular guitars remind me of UNWOUND. This is a must-listen in my opinion.
On my first pass through, I didn’t love or hate this. Jessa Graves sings in this style that’s, like, quiet-loud. She sort of whispers into a rise and shout and then lets it trail off at the end of each line. Even in some words her vocal volume wavers between a tipsy friend trying to tell you a secret and a sober one telling you it’s time to fucking go! But also she has this piercing sweetness and clarity to her voice with tons of power behind it. She also plays guitar in this band and I have to say, that opening riff on the B-side (bass as well) is real good. I’m pretty drawn to the song “Leap Year.” It’s more than the lyrics “Did you forget that all along / That I was just your ghost?” that make this song feel super haunted. And Graves is certainly a proficient writer. All these songs are quite wordy, but nothing feels extra or out of place. Engineered and mixed by Stan Wright of ARCTIC FLOWERS, which is pretty rad. To be candid, these songs didn’t grab me at first blush, but two or three spins through they’re starting to get stuck in my head. The cover art for this is an X-ray of her chest cavity and it came with a handwritten note saying she’s just getting started. I love this energy and what I’m hearing from this group.
From the foothills of Northern California’s Sierras come JUSTICE IN AMERICA, blazing a trail with great thrasing lyrical assaults on the contradictions of life in the USA today. Very tight, very powerful, and the sentiments are right on the money.
This ten-song debut 12″ from Warsaw’s JAD leans heavy on the mechanical patterns of early Polish hardcore (the distinctive robotic pulsing of ARMIA or even SIEKIERA), but even heavier on the crude, primitive hardcore deconstruction of HOAX, where 1-2 midtempo charge is sustained, then slowed, then sustained for crushing effect, and leads in to even more crushing breakdowns. Basic yet effective repetitive pounding, with meaty “at the door of the haunted hallway” (i.e. slightly distorted) vocals scowling over the top, and a thick yet slightly grated raw guitar sound. This is not as sludgy as HOAX, but a more energetic, incredibly dialed-in, and surprisingly great record. There’s some inventiveness with this formula, but it’s so seamless, with tight musicianship and delivery on a set pattern, though without understanding the lyrics, it does skirt on the border of predictability. The lyrics (all in Polish) come on the accompanying poster, and the artwork is “cvlt”-style line-drawings of people hanging off the band logo, barbed wire, a dissected head, and vultures, all made to look distressed—like it was found on the floor of a copy center in 1981, so who knows. These are killer jams.
After a few consistently solid releases, Warsaw’s JAD self-releases a concise 7″ of heavy hardcore. Ugly chromatic riffs tied in with the beefy drum production make this sound way tougher than some of the musically ancestral references like ABBADON, ARMIA, or hardcore-era SIEKIERA. Most of this short platter is circle pit speed, except for a few moshy sections that don’t drag on too long. Nothing in particular makes this stand out but it’s still great angry hardcore.
Debut single from New York trio JANE DOE ENSEMBLE, featuring two experimentally-minded noise-pop songs that don’t just go outside the box, but set down stakes somewhere a few ZIP codes away from the box. A-side “Pink Liquor” starts out as a low-key waltz of jangly guitar, unsettling keys, and intersecting vocals (one voice nonchalantly sing-speaking, one voice offering sweeter and more melodic counterpoint), abruptly swerves into a brief, frantically-strummed and falling apart noise frenzy almost exactly halfway through its four-minute run time, and then drifts out on a gentle wave of abstract whirring keyboard. On the flip, “Respect” bobs and weaves with a little more art-punk abandon, guided by percolating keyboard and rattling percussion—think TABLE SUGAR’s loosest and most freewheeling side. There’s apparently an LP in the works, and I’m sure those extra inches will afford them even more room to go way out there.
With two singles (one vinyl, one digital) and an EP of demos behind them, this is JANE DOE ENSEMBLE’s debut LP. Their NYC roots are not to be missed on this minimal, no wave art-punk recording. Organ and synth-led, most songs are slow and reflective, with jabby guitars, floppy drums, and chorused lyrics focused on social and political commentary, like “What is Left is Also What is Right.” These songs are not catchy, you won’t get them stuck in your head, and they’re not foot-stompers, but they will make you think. On “Respect,” I hear some slanted DEVO influence, but my lack of depth in the art-punk world doesn’t give me much else to reference here, which is maybe part of the point. If you’re not already feeling weird and uncomfortable enough, then have a listen.
This very young punk band—mostly 14-year olds—thrash and growl their way out of the garage. There are a whole slew of songs here, pretty roughly produced, and they have their say on a whole range of subjects. The guitar work shows promise, and there are some truly crazed items thrown in.
Sixteen tracks from yet another group with this name. Like the Boston version, this one plays totally vicious, manic, and tight thrash, the kind associated with the East Coast. Amazingly, these guys hail from Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Took a bit of internet sleuthing, since there’s bugger all in terms of addresses and websites and whatnot on their disc, but I think I can definitively say that they are Swedish. I’m always partial to folks singing in their native tongue, even if I haven’t the foggiest what they’re nattering on about. Musically, they play upbeat, melodic hardcore / pop punk type stuff, with lots of horns. Thankfully, no ska to speak of. Much more a NO USE FOR A NAME with brass, than say, I dunno, AGAINST ALL AUTHORITY. Believe me, I’ve heard considerably worse.
Nine songs that absolutely rip. Very much in the DISCHARGE vein, as are many of the European hardcore bands. This one’s from Holland.
A pretty nifty rock ’n’ roll tape with garage appeal. There are some ’60s influences here, but it’s rocked out in a ’76-’77 manner. Unpretentious, fun, and intelligent stuff.
Missed this one a while back. Apparently, this band is known as the GBH of Germany, but I hear that sound as well as a melodic SoCal sound, adding up to an excellent sounding, politically aware release. Good one.
Try to imagine a sort of early HALF JAPANESE garage style meeting in the real teen world—this totally destroys! A well done bit of trash. (Not thrash, you Europeans!!)
This is by far the quirkiest punk release I’ve heard all year. A mix of styles I can only describe as bubblegum post-punk. Recorded at the legendary Tiny Telephone studios in San Francisco, the instrumentation employs freaky synths, crunchy drum machines, and wiry guitars. Overall, this is a really fun record. It’s ridiculously catchy; the type of riffs that get stuck in your head for a long time. A definite must listen for fans of TOTAL CONTROL or TROPICAL FUCK STORM.
Self-released punkers from NYC pummel through two songs of excellent Latino hardcore. “Screwdriver” starts off the flexi by demanding your attention with beaten-into-submission drums and death metal guitar riffs that’ll make your head spin. “Policia No Me Jodas” (“Police Don’t Fuck With Me”) follows up with a repetitive anger and is a rerecording from their 2017 demo Open Veins. Get your elbows out for this one.
JUVENILE FRUCTATION are responsible for a whole tape’s worth of pre-garage ramblings in a punk-rockish style that gets a bit tiring after about two minutes. Proto-primitive; these guys need more practice.
With vocals reminiscent of early STIFF LITTLE FINGERS, tough, tight hardcore instrumentation in various styles, and intelligent lyrics, this band is a welcome addition to the scene. There’s plenty of power and commitment here too, making this a fine non-generic alternative to standard thrash and its far lamer cousin—metal punk.
Two incarnations of the same band are represented on this 12-song tape, which plumbs a mid-tempo punk style in both live and studio recordings. Truthfully, I didn’t feel the excitement on this one, but the music’s OK.
A very hot thrash band with lots of energy, some good production, and lots to sing about (in Spanish). Recommended.
There’s quite a lot of variety to this garage band (outside of the overused name). The songs sometimes have real neat hooks, and are enhanced by quirky things like harmonicas! Interesting topics, too.
Excellent, powerful, and tight thrash. While this is just a four-track demo, it bodes well for future recordings. The material, while straight-ahead, is done with zest and excitement.
A six-song release, this is punk rock with a distinguishing guitar sound. For the most part, the band has a SUBHUMANS-type English sound, but the guitar has a post-punky tone, a combination that comes off well. Good thoughtful lyrics to boot.
Who doesn’t love simple, straightforward punk performed confidently and convincingly? “Tod In Gewahrsam” and “432€” are fast, intense pogo-able blasts of three-chord hardcore. “In Vielfalt Vereint” is a depressive drone with a metallic reverb vocal effect, but somehow conveys the same aggression as the rest of the tracks. Like when you play something on 33 when it’s meant to be on 45 and it actually works! KATASTROPHE gets everything right in just a few minutes of rage, and will particularly appeal to fans of catchy, hardcore-infused ’80s Deutschpunk. My understanding of German is limited but it doesn’t take a genius to notice the anti-cop theme, and all proceeds of the cassette sales go to the following organizations supporting victims of racist police violence: www.kop-berlin.de / www.polizei-gewalt.com/death-in-custody
Classic Finnish thrash in the DISCHARGE mold. While not as noisy as some, the basic ingredients are there, though a bit more slowed down on about half of the six tunes. “Brainless” is the anthemic tune here.
A four-song bone-crunching EP, heavy on power and guitar. In the mid-tempo range, they have a big sound without getting too clean or too metallic. It pounds.
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.
Despite the garagy recording, this young DC-area band shows they’ve got something to say, and a zippy way of doing it. Straight-edge Á la MINOR THREAT. Will be good.
This is fine. Pop punk played by dudes who look like they should be in MUNICIPAL WASTE. It’s that version of the genre that doesn’t lean too heavily into any specific sub-genre. The songs are well-played and there’s nothing inherently bad about this, it’s just vanilla. There’s nothing that I find particularly memorable about this, nor does it make me want to listen to it again at any point. That’s just me, though. I need something to make me feel any sort of emotion at all. This is just sterile.
A fairly uninventive, unappealing seven-song EP from Switzerland’s KIE-13. “Anarchie in CH” has some pleasantly diverting guitar progressions, but the medium-speed songs on this disc plod along without any discernible passion or excitement. Rather monochromatic and tiresome.
Twisted stuff that’s mystical, dark, depressing, maybe even fascistic. Like the darker side of FLIPPER, KILSLUG’s noise is slow, falling, and nauseating. They’re undoubtedly worth checking out live, if you want to be set on edge.
Not sure what this band is about, but they’ve got sex stuff all over their graphics. Musically, both slow and fast hardcore, live and studio, well recorded and raw.
D-beat crust from Philly with Chris Ulsh from POWER TRIP on guitar. The EP is tough, with enough grit and vitriol to spread to the masses. All tracks are from the same recording sessions as KINETIC ORBITAL STRIKE’s first demo that came out in ’22. Each song on the EP is sizable with the usual comforts of the genre, and for me brings to mind DISFEAR’s Soul Scars era. I think the tad slowed-down track “True Disaster” takes the cake. Get it.
Because of its producer, roommate and all-around good guy Ian MacKaye, I expected a later period Dischord “sound” like DAG NASTY or RITES OF SPRING. But I was really surprised to hear a very modern blend of rock and blues and some real classy harmonica playing. Not thrash but it rocks like a mofo.
An interesting proposition here. The songs veer between SUPERCHUNK pop snarl and NOMEANSNO jazz-punk and SHUDDER TO THINK drama. Maybe a more direct comparison would be fIREHOSE? The band members certainly have chops, and are adept in a variety of styles. As an album, the whole thing is polished with a ’90s sheen that renders it listenable and inoffensive, but not immediately arresting.
Three doses of powerful New Jersey hardcore. Driven by dissonant guitars and full-throated vocals, fans of MODERN LIFE IS WAR, (early) TIME IN MALTA, KISS IT GOODBYE and the like will find a lot to like here. “Snake Oil” is the choice cut.
Dramatic post-hardcore from New Jersey with sludgy, guttery vocals and suspenseful breaks throughout. There is a level of anticipation to KIRKBY KISS that is waiting for something to break—when it finally releases, there is a feeling of relief. Solid hardcore with post-hardcore moods and solos. Songs cut off in an intense way and it is appreciated as not to drag on. Like I said, KIRKBY KISS plays with a lot of build and suspense that dive bombs or bursts into some calamity at the end. These careful structures containing an intensity of underlying fire is undeniably heard. I Listen(-ed) Closely and here are all sorts of levels of street punk, blue-collar hardcore, Oi!, and post-punk. Digging their combination of all these subgenres with sincere grit.
Yet another new band from Finland, from Oulu to be accurate. KIROS, meaning “curse,” is a young dynamic band having a go at tried and tested male/female vocal anarcho crusty hardcore. I had never heard of the band at all, which makes me think that there are probably dozens of promising (or unpromising, to be fair, but it does not really matter) Finnish punk bands to be discovered. This notion of an infinite supply of snotty Suomi punk is pretty romantic, but as far as I know the bands could be like Gremlins. Just get them wet (or more realistically get them vodka) and they just multiply. Helppo Ja Mukava Tapa is an entertaining listen. I don’t always understand what KIROT is trying to do in terms of songwriting as they include a lot of different influences, from metallic blastbeats, to mid-paced crust, to fast and direct anarcho-punk. It is a bit much to my ears and sometimes it sounds all over the place, not unlike that annoying guy who switches records every five minutes at parties. Less is more—a corny saying often uttered by uninspired musicians to make up for their lazy riffs, but it is relevant here. The album reminds me of a metallic take on ’00s Scandinavian anarcho bands like OPERATION or PARAGRAF 119, and more especially of early RAKKAUS. I like how the angry dual vocals work (I am a massive sucker for those anyway), and I am looking forward to hearing a more focused recording. I’ll be watching them.
Unfathomably epic six-song debut(?) release from Finland’s KIROTTU ÄÄNI. Emotive and chaotic hardcore with a serious primitive black metal bent; novice listeners might place them on the map somewhere between CELEST(E) and BONE AWL. But the more advanced among you (us) will hold out until “Paiseet” on the second side, where they launch into some truly unique freak shit and careful listeners will realize that they’re listening to a band that’s spreading their wings before they’re even off the ground. A brutal and powerful, and beautiful, record.
A pretty rip-roaring demo, mixing thrash with a few slow, powerful songs. Not much is new, but for some reason KLIMAX sounds more like and English thrash outfit than a Finnish band.
A nine-song good-sound-quality tape. “KLUGED” apparently means jerry-rigged or thrown together in a really quick, sloppy manner. It doesn’t appear so to me, as the playing is tight and powerful angry thrash, cleanly and energetically delivered. Lots of changes and non-metal guitar work (extended at times) and strong vocals. Good debut with an early SoCal HC sound.
Harkening back to punk’s melodic power days (and to punk’s less political lyrics), this band is in reaction to the metal direction many HC bands have gone—it’s done decently, thought the singing doesn’t really cut it (OK for thrash, but punk demands more in this department). Like the direction, though this beginning leaves room for growth.
Help these guys put out an LP by buying their tape! It’s not like you’ll be a martyr, because there is lots of great hard-edged, intelligent punk and thrash out there. I can’t wait to hear their projected album!
Political speedcore. Vocals like RAW POWER, and musically they shred, although the drummer seems a bit pressed to keep up at times. Pretty hot.
You know when you spend a couple of hours listening to and reviewing some interesting and unique records and you think “man, punk is so varied and it’s cool that bands keep pushing the envelope and finding new ways to create and project sound!,” and then you pop in a tape from a band from Maine and it’s like four-and-a-half minutes of raw, distorted noisy D-beat hardcore recorded in a fukkn barn with the wildest guitar solos ever and you think “nah, fuck that, I just want to have my ass blown out of my speakers repeatedly until I can’t walk straight.” That’s what just happened to me. It can happen to you, too. Listen to KOMATIITE.
It’s rare when a HC band can sound tighter and better on their faster material than on the slower tunes, but that’s the case here. While 50% of this LP is average, the other half is definitely a cut above, showing real snappiness. Lots of promise.
Skin-ripping thrash chock full of blistering spasms that detonate this Tennessee invasion in the vein of CAUSE FOR ALARM or DRI. KORO thrusts a powerful convulsion of firing speed and rapid guitar screaming that swirls in furious catapults of overall chaos. This scorcher is hard to find.
Translating from Finnish to “Hard Truth,” KOVA TOTUUS gives us some garaged-up hardcore with by-the-book breakdowns and boring vocals on this eight-track tape. It’s totally skippable, my dudes. How’s that for some “hard truth”?
Pretty powerful stuff here, a forceful collection of hard thrash (the non-metallic variety), and slower, punk-influenced tunes. Good show, boys.
Fairy standard thrash fare for the most part, but occasional use of effects on the guitar add a distinctive touch. Should improve with age.
KUEBIKO from Massachusetts sends out a clear message: a four-minute warning in just three minutes of unrelenting crust punk, in the best tradition of DOOM or E.N.T. with hints of kängpunk. These four tracks reek of crusty-as-fuck punk with all the tropes in place, like the fuzzy guitars and pummeling drums, plus an emphasis on the distorted vocals that make this one stand out from the rest. It goes by so fast that you have no time to escape.
Quite a pleasant surprise. This tape contains seven pop/thrash tunes of high-quality tunemanship, playing, and production. Very sarcastic lyrics bite to the “core.” Worth checking out.
A five pointed star on the front cover, costs ¥666, released June 6 — hey wait! — this must be satanic rock! This is one of those cases when I’m glad I don’t understand Japanese; one side is a god awful drone with some woman screaming, the other side has three tracks in HC, pop-punk, and post-punk styles respectively. Poo poo.
Puerto Rican punkers living in Brooklyn deliver a debut cassette with seven songs of lo-fi punk rock crammed on a short cassette. Six head-bopping originals and a cover of a song by fellow PR band ACTITUD SUBVERSIVA, which I recognized from their split with TROPIEZO, whom I was a big fan of but regrettably never got to see. This is a real nice change from the overhyped “punk” bands that Brooklyn tends to shit out, and it comes across incredibly sincere and not contrived in the slightest. It seems they only made 50 of these cassettes, so get one quick.
This band covers the “Beverly Hillbillies Theme” and does a song called “Jordache Jeans Hurt My Balls.” Yup, it’s snotty, garage-y punk and thrash at its finest. Sarcastic lyrics, of course.
Peruvian trio that hits with the hooks of DEAD HERO and the power of CONDENADA. No fronting whatsoever on Ishguin—honest punk sounds so totally refreshing in a world of posing and pretense. This one has been on steady rotation for me since I came across it earlier this year, highly recommended (if you like punk).
Three-track demo from LAST BIAS, a Tampa Bay, Florida four-piece. Tagged as a post-hardcore group, I can hear similarities to/influences from bands like UNWOUND or the JESUS LIZARD, but with a really gruff vocalist, more in line with traditional hardcore. I think the last song “Not The Same” shines the brightest of the three with its structure and riffs. Polish this up and let’s see what’s next!
Grungy punk and thrash with lyrics that cover apathy, vegetarianism, and lighter topics. “Satan In My Drain” stands out as a total crack-up! Comes with booklet.
Straightforward, potent thrash not unlike Boston’s JERRY’S KIDS. The production is clean but powerful and the lyrics tackle war and rebellion. Searing stuff here, definitely check this out.
Hailing from the central coast of California, LAST POINT plays the kind of melodic skate punk that wouldn’t be out of place amongst some of genre’s heaviest hitters. In fact, this album sounds like it was meant to be at the very least considered for a 7″ or a track on a Fat Music comp, but was just unearthed from some secret vault deep beneath the Fat Wreck office.
I’m fairly positive I reviewed the last album from this band, and well…they haven’t strayed at all from the sound of their last offering, proving that if you find something that you’re proficient at, why change anything? They nail the early Fat Wreck sound almost to a fault. Again though, this isn’t really my cup of tea and that’s cool. To me, this style just kinda sounds dated, but that’s not to say that there aren’t fans of this stuff who would eat this up, it’s just not me.
DC hardcore that sounds like the best of that city’s punk pedigree. Four short songs in about five minutes that rip with tight bass/drums, solid guitar work, and intelligible vocals. The first three tracks sound like well-made DCHC that could have been on an ’80s Dischord comp, while the final track “Demented Thoughts” stretches out with textural, flanged-out, overlapping solos and screams, lending itself to a much darker sound. Strong release for traditional hardcore hounds.
Holland’s version of a young DRI. This band whips out 16 simple generic thrashers on this one. Strong vocals are the center of the music, and an undistinctive guitar sound relies too much on distortion for the frantic riffs and stop-and-go songs.
Genuinely weird shit coming out of Buffalo, NY! I couldn’t turn up anything about the band, so it’s unclear who all is involved with the project—their Bandcamp profile pic is just an image of what appears to be a teen plucked straight out of one of the audiences in The Decline of Western Civilization. In any case, this appears to be their debut release. It’s eight tracks (a quarter of which are sung in French) of what I would primarily describe as USHC, maybe on the skate rock end of the spectrum. But the production is pretty bizarre—the guitars are both thin and really fuzzy, while the vocals, which are pretty buried in the mix, sound like they were recorded in an abandoned mineshaft. Then, every so often a really faint keyboard kicks in, or a “Careless Whisper”-ass saxophone lick, or even a TALKING HEADS-esque vocal melody. Really bizarre stuff, all of which is wrapped in a J-card seemingly signaling you’re about to listen to some playful European post-punk. I don’t know that I loved this, but I’m certainly fascinated by everything about it.
Freaky robot punk about video games, killer zombie dicks, and sentient mustaches. If there is a such a thing as artsy metalcore, this is probably it. Simultaneously silly, fun, and totally terrifying.
A studio/live tape of speedy driving HC, comparable to AOD with sing-along vocals and catch guitar work. Lots of power, clean production, a great first effort.
LEEWAY straddles what I hope will eventually be a Berlin Wall between hardcore and heavy metal, with mixed results. “Be Loud” is a nicely textured thrash number, but metal rot gnaws away at the edges of their other arrangements. Aggressive, though this variant of HC doesn’t suit me.
Really mediocre rockin’ punk with a hint of hardcore and some metal guitar. I guess there’s a Red Album and an Orange Album as well. The flag of Zambia? Dunno, but this is barely twenty minutes long and I’m still having a hard time getting through it. There’s some really cringe-worthy STONE TEMPLE PILOTS-like moments on “Laughter in the Rain.” Maybe that’s your bag? There’s moments where hillbilly rhythms and Southern accents arise (they’re from Florida) like “Tomorrowland,” and sludge-heavy riffs as on “Knew You.” There, I made it through. Oh shit, there’s one more. Can’t do it. Zzzzzzzzzzzz
This recording is awful. The band could potentially be alright, but this recording does them no favors. This sounds like it was recorded in a garage on a laptop with no mixing or overdubs or what have you. The only thing that sounds like it was done halfway decently are the vocals, as they sound marginally better than the rest of what’s going on here. I’m honestly in awe that they thought it was a good idea to spend money on putting this out into the world.
This outfit whips up a cool batch of fast, driving punk with a dash of metal guitar thrown in. All seven songs are undeniably tight and powerful with sociopolitical lyrics, making these dudes a blazing unit who deserves your attention.
I gather that this French band was active in the mid ’80s and reformed recently. This new record features the singer from those days and a gang of new members. To start with a compliment, I love that the minimal text on the packaging features strong political stances against common societal ills including capitalism, sexism, and homophobia. Sadly, there comes a time when one must put needle to vinyl. The vocals are pretty cool I guess, well-articulated and strongly delivered, but the music is that kind of identity-free, slightly metallic hardcore that so many re-formed and/or older bands end up writing. At least, unlike many in a similar position, their hearts are in the right place.
Some extremely fast-paced punk here that’s both tuneful and rips. Worth checking out—I hope they do a record.
A collection of nine hardcore punk songs recorded throughout an eight-year time frame. Lyrically, these songs are personal, emotional, and somewhat introspective. It could use a better mixing job to level everything out better, but I think with what they had to work with (a digital eight-track), it’s pretty solid. This is about as DIY hardcore as one can get. I’d love to hear a 7” by this band with a solid mixing job. If everything was a bit more muddled down into the back instead of up front and in your face, not only do I think it would add to the mysteriousness of this band, but it would also benefit the style.
A six-song tape that’s really well done. There’s plenty of controlled mania on the fast tunes as well as good melody on the poppier tracks. Overall: rips like crazy.
Punk and HC with a very metallic guitar sound. Lyrically, no Satanic BS, but on-target lyrics slagging censorship, big business etc. Pretty good. Comes with lyric booklet.
Chicago and Grand Rapids bands split three tracks each. HUMAN SACRIFICE gives fast-paced hardcore mixed with powerviolence, delivering catchy, smoky, spitting vicious vocals. Their three tracks flow like bloody water, speaking to obscure hardcore punk that conveys the urge to pogo. LEVITY, on the other hand, is full-on powerviolence with a Satanic metallic infusion that exudes anger and desolate fits, yet with a relentless energy and dragging feeling, and even some Avernus noise “Breathe Endlessly.” Recommended.
LIGHTHEADER has a math-rock musical style. The music is busy, sometimes frantic, sometimes drifting. The vocals are laidback and sincere. The combo flows pleasantly from my stereo speakers, occasionally perking my ears up to some odd sound.
Second release, and seemingly first physical media release, from Helsinki, Finland’s LIKA. Eight songs on this cassette, most of which are around the three-minute mark—it gives them plenty of time to meander through different genres, which they do possibly a bit much for my tastes. At times, LIKA sounds like a fast hardcore punk band, while at other times, they sound like a classic metal-infused crust punk band, like TEM EYOS KI or something. Still at other instances, LIKA sounds like screamy, aggressive, moody ’90s alternative rock. The band is super tight, but the mixture of genres might come across a bit off-putting, though.
Unlikely name for a great thrash band. Actually they’re more than a thrash band, combining funk, rap, and lots of odds and ends, but all delivered with power, gusto, and a great gruff singer. Excellent.
I don’t know who Linda is, but my mistake was listening to this turd of an album. Take the worst of the ’90s RAMONES-wannabe bands, strip them of any wit, charisma, or musical prowess, and that will get you in the ballpark of how excruciating and awful this is. Most of the songs revolve around a singular, repeated lyric. “You’re Wearing a Bandana,” for instance, recites the song title followed by the inquiry “What’re you doing?” over and over. Longest 39 seconds of my life. Another song is called “Too Fat for a Belt.” Insert sad trombone noise here. While the attempt at humor is obvious, the lyrics are just too dumb to actually be funny. It is hard to express the unique and supreme discomfort this album elicits, but please don’t take that as an insinuation that it’s somehow worth checking out as a morbid curiosity. With the planet rapidly becoming a hellish inferno, it’s an affront to humanity’s future that precious (or otherwise) resources were expended to bring this loathsome album into existence.
Solid seven-song release from these Baltimore post-punks. The clean op art cover of some kind of hazy temple building gives a good indication of the tape’s contents. There is a sturdy structure holding up the buzzy energy within. Each track has a fairly traditional rock format with distorted bass, snaky guitar leads, and detached vocals that are shouted but never sound angry. LIP channels the noisier aspects of JOY DIVISION and the non-electronic sounds of TOTAL CONTROL but does so in a way that still sounds distinct enough to set them apart. “Morse Code” starts off with a syncopated bass line that creates a welcome hook under the guitar squall. Final track “Obstacles” is the best song here: a near-perfect post-punk chiller with a catchy melodic guitar line and paranoid lyrics that could bear the Factory Records logo. Worth checking out if disaffected post-punk is your jam.
Writing this review took me far longer than the tape itself takes to play, because it put me in another existential mood about genre and style. I just really don’t know what more can be written about this kind of music. If you’ve listened to CHERRY CHEEKS, RESEARCH REACTOR CORP, the current crop of Lumpy bands, etc. etc., then you have a clue to what this LIQUID LUNCH tape sounds like: stiff rhythms (with manic militancy on the hi-hat and snare) played at ultracore tempos, protractor and T-square guitar riffs played with pinpoint accuracy alternated with thrashin’ bashers, sprinkled with synth squiggles, and topped with muffled mutoid man yelling. But what are they yelling about? There’s a song on it called “Obamacare,” in this year of our lord 2022. Is this a political song? Is it a goof? Have we reached the Final Devolution of CONEHEADS-core? Are all of these bands just pizza punk with more right angles? Am I thinking about this too much? The answers to all these questions: probably, and who cares?
LUNACHICKS vocal energy and a heavy fuzzed-out attack set the framework for a Tennessee two-piece who assault hypocrisy and humanity with the same energy they use to assault riffs (there are a lot of riffs, for the record). The churn has ’90s alt/metal undertones, but even as a likely product of their influences, LITTLE BABY TENDENCIES truly sound like nothing I’ve come across—intense and intent garage sludge presented as metallic punk. Their ability to look in the mirror when addressing grievances is especially refreshing, and I can only assume that the live performances are even better.
While this band hails from the Rose City, it feels like their hearts are in a mid-’80s New Jersey wood-paneled basement lounge with a TV cranking out horror classics and a mom screaming “keep that racket down” in a thick Jerseyesque accent. Think SAMHAIN, MOURNING NOISE, KRYST THE CONQUEROR, and the BEAST with some early OFFSPRING thrown in when they were still on the spookier side of things. It’s not super punk, but spooky and catchy nonetheless, and they have an adorable YouTube video for the superior opening track as well. Crawl out of your basement or cozy condo and pick up a copy.
LIXOMANIA sound a bit like some of the better new English bands, but with an edge and vocal rawness more reminiscent of Finnish groups. There’s one thrasher and a bunch of mid-tempo punk songs covering themes like punk not dying, massacres of innocent people, etc. The lyrics are in Portuguese, the language of Brazil.
Brave, pissed-off souls from upstate NY come together and release some raving yet melodic hardcore garage material. Totally unpretentious, energetic, and enjoyable.
A new hardcore band from Portland. The material ranges from thrash to garage punk and their sound, while not terribly original, is nice and gritty. Unfortunately, the lyrics are really stupid, being sexist (“Devil”), violence-prone (“Pop Your Head”), and, despite their protestations, racist as hell (“Go Back”). These guys could be good after a few consciousness-raising sessions.
As with their first record, the sound here is tight and raw, and the vocals rip. And as with the first EP, there are some good lyrics and some real losers—”Portland” and “Full of Hate” are sound critiques of politics, but “No â’¶” perpetuates the common misinterpretation of anarchy as a lack of order, and “She’s a Slut” exemplifies the old double standard at work.
A righteous, sex-fueled party is crammed into the grooves of the debut LP from Chicago’s LOLLYGAGGER. Serious QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE vibes, especially on the opener, but this act is fronted by a snot-nosed punk who hates boss, hates system, hates cops, loves screaming, loves exposing hypocrisy. Total punk attitude, total stoner metal groove.
Around for five years, they finally broke up due to lack of a strong local scene. This posthumous release contains live and studio tracks, both fast punk and thrash, which shows these TERMINALS to have been a highly committed, powerful outfit. Could they be persuaded to re-group? Ask ’em.
Yes, it’s really the DEBBIE BOONE schlock classic, but here adopted to a neo-rock format—and with no small success. The flip, however, has a driving guitar sound and stands on its own as solid alternative rock. (They also have a recommendable cassette, Streets of Poison, available; good material and excellent sound quality.) Good band.
Finally, an excuse to dust off the platform boots and denim overalls! New York City’s LOOSEY is here with their Winter Promo ’23 cassette. LOOSEY’s sound falls somewhere between the Australian Sharpie scene where pub-rock bands like COLOURED BALLS and ROSE TATTOO reigned supreme, and the Bovver scene from England which preferred the glammier side of rock’n’roll (checkout the comp Bootboy Discotheque to get down). After the right-on intro “Enter Planet Dust,” LOOSEY treats listeners to three earworms that stomp, shimmy, and howl (thanks to the gloriously gruff vocals of lead singer Fizzy of NEW YORK HOUNDS fame). Check out “There You Were (Alligator Song)” to hear LOOSEY at full-force; beginning with a glam stomp before bulldozing their way into Exile on Main Street-era ROLLING STONES and even BIG STAR territory, it’s pure bar-room boogie for lovers and fighters alike. This is the dawning of LOOSEY music, get into it!
Although there’s a light post-punk atmospheric guitar touch to these three tracks, this is overshadowed by the driving beat and tough vocals (at least on two of the songs). Previously though, their approach had been more “punk,” but the results here are OK, too. Fine instrumentation.
Homemade subterranean synth-punk from Brooklyn, NY. LOST PACKAGES sound as if they’ve mainlined more than a few NERVOUS PATTERNS or DIGITAL LEATHER disques and the expected infection has quite clearly taken hold: same scuzz, same pessimism, different era. They’re not all direct hits—this comes across more as an explorative demo—but there are some sparks that sound promising. Will surely keep an eye out for more.
Four new tracks, all sung in Japanese, from these long-standing Parisian pop punk techno ravers. While lyrically they’re proudly in the CRASS anarcho-punk camp, at least on this effort, there’s mercifully little of the ATARI TEENAGE RIOT electronica, and much more of the straight ahead speedy pop punk. Kinda like J CHURCH on 45 (as opposed to 33), albeit with a Parisian female chanteuse, singing in Japanese (though the whoa- oh-ohs manage to comfortably span the linguistic divide). Fantastic stuff. Self-released, so snap it up from the band.
Quite a neat ten-song tape that really should’ve come out on vinyl. It’s classic SoCal thrash, reminding me a bit of what the MIDDLE CLASS might have sounded like had they continued from their thrash roots. It kicks!
Fun twee-pop demo from Portland, Oregon’s LOVE IN HELL. Draped in floral printed dresses, this all-female trio plays sugary beats with a crunchy guitar, bobbling bass, and syncopated vocals that tell personal stories and ask pointed questions like “What would make it all worthwhile to you?” High school locker-art aesthetic (awesome), fun and heartfelt, a name that’s a little obvious yet somehow perfect, and did I mention floral? Sign me up.
Fun, chunky mid-tempo punk with humorous lyrics concerning the dating game, organized religion, food and more. Good production, hot material.
Rather odd. If songs were sentences, these guys are spitting out fragments because their short electronic bursts come across as unfinished. Not bad, just out of the ordinary.
LUDICHRIST definitely flies for quickness on this 12-songer; has all those thrashing turbulent punches that you love to hear with similarities to great DC bands or to CAUSE FOR ALARM or ANTIDOTE. Wild, chaotic, intense, and full of different variations, LUDICHRIST charges outward with a superb sonic flailing.
Speedcore maniacs from LA strike hard with a unique sound that mixes metallic cranks with full-blown aggression that will meet both grounds and still destroy. Really powerful lyric content that leans toward the vegetarian/political beliefs. Watch for this band as they are sure to grow insane.
The “silly guy hardcore with schizophrenic musical styles and influences” is a genre much ignored and not one I have been presented with for quite some time. Having once been in such a band, I can understand (to a point) while also being thoroughly perplexed by the all-over-the-place-ness met with showboating musicianship as a chosen mission. Elements of jazz, country, metal, prog and of course punk are the backdrop for adult contemporary masterpieces with titles ranging from “Where’s the Beef” to the epic “Lobster Dog” whisked along by precision drumbeats, noodling guitar stroking and pop-punk whoa whoa whoas. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Oh sorry, pardon my nod. The reference points for me would be FAITH NO MORE, MR. BUNGLE and SUM41 so Santa Rosa’s burning. Give it a whirl.
The second cassette by these garage gods. This one boasts solid musicianship and thoughtful, sometimes humorous, lyrics. Quite a blast.
A 17-song demo quality cassette consisting of five originals and covers from such faves as MDC, BLACK FLAG, DOA, etc. I prefer the originals—good, raw punk rock with sarcastic social lyrics.
This is righteous shit: rad rockin’ garage punk with lyrics about Ronnie, dumpster diving, and personal topics. There dudes blow doors, so get this!
Screaming thrash with shitloads of energy. With all their hyperness, things go a bit sloppy, but this blazes fairly well.
The fourth demo tape from this Texas four-piece. Harsh guitar, banging drums, and gut-wrenching vocals result in classic generic garage thrash, meaning generic thrash played in a garage. Basic, yet enjoyable.
This very strong release almost seems like a Dutch version of DIE KREUZEN, with the emphasis on high-speed thrash and the occasional guitar squiggles (and sometimes more than squiggles). I liked several of the tracks here, which at their best, seem to combine all of the elements. Recommended.
Holy hell, this rips! Oakland, CA’s M80 plays super driving and catchy hardcore punk of an incredibly timeless nature. It would be difficult to pinpoint a timeframe that this came out if I just heard it playing somewhere. The five-song cassette instantly feels familiar, like I’ve been listening to it for years, without sounding like any one specific band. This might be as close to perfection as a demo can get, in my book. Not satiated with listening to the tape three times in a row, I did a little searching and found a live set of theirs on the internet and it’s totally worth a watch.
Heavy, powerviolence-influenced hardcore from San Francisco. It’s got what you’ve likely come to expect from this genre: the fastest of the fast and the slowest of the slow, with very little in between, changing quickly back and forth between the two acceptable tempos. The standout track for me is “Victim,” which breaks the mold and just rides a mid-tempo nasty riff for the duration of the song. I think the band may have an anti-tech deck stance, which I would like to know more about. I’ve never really understood the tongue-in-cheek stances and goofy songs that often coincide with this style of music. My favorites of this genre have always been just genuinely, unapproachably pissed.
A one-sided, two-song pop punk release. One is punkier, one is busier, neither necessary.
Oh Jesus. I could be totally wrong, but this reeks of a one-man bedroom project where some technically knowledgeable human decides to put down the video game controller, make self masturbatory guitar music (debatable), and put it out to the world in hopes of gathering praise or in a sadistic attempt to force one’s art (debatable) down people’s throats. Sure, you could say this about much of the great black metal music of yore, but this ain’t that, my friend. If you check online, you can even see videos of this talented soul self-stroking his stringed member over a video game rhythm section, and it’s very much a Guitar Hero version of thrash metal punk with some prog moments. Message to our readers: “If you feel the overwhelming urge to put your homemade laptop music on a viable punk format and send it in, please don’t. Thanks and goodnight. -RR.”
I remember this one-man-band’s demo tape for two things: the rad anarchist frog, and Rotten Ron absolutely roasting it. Have you ever walked into a Guitar Center during one of their big sales events? Shredders from all walks of life and every subgenre creep out of the sewers to show off their technical prowess (usually by playing the intro to “One” by METALLICA). Imagine that sound on a tape, and you’d have MAGE COMMANDER. Rudimentary, angry hardcore with constant thrash leads. Not crossover, or thrash itself, or blackened punk—three-chord USHC with intertwining solos, bent notes, and finger-tapped phrases tangling around very simple punk. It’s just an odd mix that is never compelling enough to rise above to being an odd mix in a good way. I admire the tenacity of sending in a full-length when the demo was not well-received, but it’s unfortunately destined to stay in the bedroom studio. The frog is cool, though.
Their fans call it “acid punk,” which brings to mind the BUTTHOLES, but this is nothing like that. Much more melodic, with “harmonic” vocals and a decent medium-paced beat. Not really too psych or crazed, just moody with a raw guitar.
Extremely biting ’77 punk with rough sandpaper vocals straight out of a horror film. This is really strong stuff and, best of all, it doesn’t evoke any close comparisons with other groups. Laryngitis rules, OK!
The second EP from MAHO NEITSYT comes on strong with gruff sandpaper vocals and an ultra-dense instrumental attack. It’s loud, noisy, and much more Oi-influenced than their debut, and I love every minute of it.
An excellent political thrash/metal crossover that’s a mixture of polished riffs, leads, and speed changes resulting in a sound like early DISCHARGE, yet still original. The production has a slightly tinny sound to it, but thoughtful lyrics give this one quality. Recommended.
Debut release from this Buffalo three-piece following a couple of short digital-only demos. Here you’re getting ten tracks of perfectly adequate, lowish-fi punk—a beige blend of early ’80s US punk, ’90s garage punk, and, like, late ’00s Fat Wreck Chords. Maybe the most memorable thing about this release is the band’s zany-face emoji sense of humor. Track titles include “You Can’t Fart On My Head & Get Away With It” and “Lemmy + Your Mom = 42.” LOL, I guess.
This power trio from Buffalo surely distances themselves from the pop punk sound on their prior releases to give us a fusion of classic West Coast-influenced hardcore punk from the late ’80s and early ’90s, but with little pinches of other sources here and there. With solid cadences throughout the ten tracks, the vocals feature a drag that’s on-point and resembles a wide range of performers from Biafra to BLACK FLAG’s Rollins era on some tracks (like “Humanity Without the Human is Just Ity”), with crunchy bass lines that pick up and sufficient guitars. Some songs even have a gloom about them that’s associated in my mind with nostalgia for other times—altogether, it’s a solid album. Favourite track: “Ludicrous Speed.”
Fun, energetic, driving mid-tempo punk with an ultra-raw guitar sound and personal lyrics dealing with love, straight edge, metal, etc. Good shit from MOO.
Tuneful punk and thrash with personal words. A little cleaner and more melodic than their last tape, but their drive remains. Good, enjoyable stuff.
NYC’s MALA VISTA pack five catchy, fast, rock’n’roll songs onto this EP. The songs have a fun, high-energy, ’77 punk style and a heavy retro undertow. But they don’t just take the genre cues and sit back. Punchy chorus riffs, tidal waves of shredding, and lyrics about fucking up fascists set this record apart. Garage punk has a tradition of avoiding politics, but I think this record proves that rocking out is more fun with a common cause.
Dizzying mix of powerviolence, hardcore, and grind from this California band. They have a split with AGATHOCLES (but, I mean, so does everyone), and they blend mean-ass PV like DESPISE YOU with precisely played grindcore à la INSECT WARFARE. It rips and sounds great. The drums, particularly the blasting, are so crisp that I thought they were digital at first, but no, just first-rate battery smashing. Many of the songs center on anti-capitalist subjects, like “Corporate Gaslighting,” with the lines, “I’ve dealt with robbers, I’ve dealt with crooks / I won’t forgive you for the hours you took / I’ve been a liar, I’ve been a cheat / But you’re the biggest one I’ll ever fucking meet,” but there are also tracks about drug abuse, doomsday cults, and MK Ultra mind control. All the good stuff. Full-tilt shredder from start to finish.
A new metallic HC trio with a BULIMIA BANQUET-eer on bass. Vicious, powerful musicianship and mostly personal words add up to a darn hot tape.
A good tape with original, intense thrash. The lyrics are pretty dark and depressing, but somehow they don’t crush you down, maybe because they’re obliterated by the screaming fuzzed-out guitar.
Hard to call this a mere demo since it’s already been given the pro-tape treatment by Pissed Off! in Malaysia, but here’s the latest from the TARANTÜLA/CÜLO family tree (technically the “latest” would be the Gentle Ballads… LP on Feel It, but I’m referring to the band itself). These kids have now doused themselves completely with rock’n’roll fluid, and perhaps this band is the match. Comparisons to ANNIHILATION TIME are inevitable, though our Windy City friends lean more heavily on a straight-ahead, four-on-the-floor lifestyle led by a relentlessly reverbed lead guitar. Punk disappearing in the rearview mirror, drugs and volume abound…this is primo gutter rock.
Much more diverse than earlier efforts, this band’s powerful, driving punk sound still remains, but both melody and metallic influences are apparent, resulting in a catchy sound which is sometimes drawn-out.
At breakneck speed or mid-tempo, this band turns out well-crafted, powerful punk and thrash. They have an almost SoCal sound, full of melody and hooks, lots of guitar, and neat vocals. An excellent tape, well worth picking up.
Hot! Discordant sounds mixing straightforward punk, jazz, post-punk, and much more, all with anti-system, anti-conformity words. Slightly reminiscent of VICTIM’S FAMILY.
Eight-song effort of fairly high-octane garage rock’n’roll. There’s some great guitaring in here, with lots of squeals and false harmonics, and riffage that’d make the STOOGES proud. The frontman is horribly off-key with the histrionic vocals, which I can’t really get past. The band is rocking, though.
This is one foot out of the heavy metal graveyard. It’s like a cross between FEAR and the DICTATORS, both instrumentally and vocally.
MARAUDEUR returns with their first new music following their killer 2017 LP, with the group since relocated from Geneva to Leipzig—the new wave of Swiss wave, or Neue Deutsche Welle twice removed (borders are just social constructs). Vocals in alternating German, English, and French, all generally delivered with the detachment of announcements repeated in a subway terminal, backed by BUSH TETRAS/ESG-descended rhythms via clockwork-ticking drums, elliptical bass grooves, and judicious stabs of single-note razor wire guitar, with those carefully plotted sonic angles then warped under a constant buzz and warble of primitive synth. For such a wound-up record, Puissance 4 still manages to feel coolly loose and nonchalant; tracks like “TWYWYS” and “Es Ist Kein Stehlen” juxtapose restless KLEENEX-ish punk energy with an electronically-damaged art school oddball vibe that owes more to the first CRASH COURSE IN SCIENCE single than any sort of mannered, dead serious German post-punk/synth wave tradition. Hot as hell.
God bless the blown-out bedroom pop singers that keep the dream of guitar-based, melody-laden rock songs alive and well. The eponymous MARK offers up two full-lengths of just that on the best format for the form—cassette. At its best, the songs remind me of Matt Sharp’s post-WEEZER output, with a sort of detached but emotive cool. I’d advise against listening to both albums back-to-back, however, as the songs do tend to meander here and there and blur together into a nice-enough soup of pretty decent jams with some high points scattered throughout. Overall, The Short Shrift (the first album) is the more satisfying overall listen, with its more rough-around-the-edges production and straightforward emotive rock sensibility. There are great songs on both though, such as the more ponderous and expansive “Can’t Make it Honest” from Quiet Days. This is clearly a labor of love, and you couldn’t question the sincerity in play here, even if you might find yourself tuning in and out more than you should.
A crack-up. I assume these guys are satirizing stupid metal bands, cuz with songs like “Shit on Your Mother’s Ass” (song title of the year, hands down!) and “I’ll Pulverize You,” they just can’t be serious. Stupidly hilarious!!
Experimental hardcore that’s most appealing. While maintaining their edge and aggression, this band breaks rules with percussion and structure without getting too jazzy or arty.
Alright! I believe this is the first Mexican tape I’ve reviewed, and it’s great! Intense thrash similar to the Finnish ’83 style. Dirty production, but the anger, power, and energy shines through.
The Mormons must be shitting! This young band combines thrash pacing with elements of jazz, pop sensibilities, and intelligent lyrics to produce a clean (too clean?), distinct sound that you’ll hopefully soon find on vinyl.
A lot of one-take, ad-libbed lyrics and a variety of musical combinations, too. Wise-guy garage stuff.
A cross between ’60s punk and a ’77-ish sound, with some cool ’50s vocal harmonies. way too long (90 minutes), but energetic and fun. Song title of the month: “My Penis Is Made of Cheese.”
JAN AND DEAN meets the RAMONES? Yup. Since I’m a fan of 50’s music, and that NY quartet’s ’77-ish sound, I enjoyed this, especially the silly lyrics. A whole lotta fun.
Where most bands’ debuts are more of a collection of songs, Leather is a taut, cohesive album, featuring clear ideas delivered with intent. Propulsive, melodic punk serves as the kindling to fuel the sharp, personal-yet-political lyrics. Sonically, there are elements of Revolution Summer desperation mixed with a certain GUN CLUB swagger. The whole sound retains its own distinct personality by the perfectly employed, insistent yet unobtrusive electric piano. There’s no reason this band couldn’t cross over to a wider audience. Without naming names, I can think of a few current bands getting the type of attention that MATERIAL greatly deserves. I encourage you to seek out this album.
M.B.P. is a noisy yet melodic thrash outfit who hit the spot—no complaints here, as they play an American style hardcore, energetic but tight. Turning the tape over for AMPACHEN we find a less frantic but nonetheless equally enjoyable and imaginative band. They too have wild vocals, great guitars, but are a bit more tuneful. Good buy.
With a name and title like this, I thought this would be humorcore, but this is garage-y punk and thrash with serious words covering apathy, ignorance, and exploitation. Pretty good.
Debut full-length from this trio. They claim NAKED RAYGUN as a primary influence, but manage to produce a sound more akin to NAKED RAYGUN covering RUDIMENTARY PENI’s Death Church. And judging by their photo on the back of the CD, they look aged enough to have actually been hanging out in the practice room while NAKED RAYGUN was scratching their heads over how to best assault the Nick Blinko opus.
A four-song CD EP from Maryland. This band of punk vets includes former members of BEEFEATER and VISIGOTHS. Stripped-down US punk circa 1982, which would fit right in on Not So Quiet on the Westwen Front. Basic, fed up, and to the point.
Being a bespectacled, skinny (well, I used to be skinny!) dude that has been known to wear DOA shirts, the picture of these chaps (presumably live at Fort Reno—which is a national park near DC, so far as I can tell) with the singer/guitarist appropriately resplendent with eyewear and apparel elevated them up a notch…call it the herd mentality, if you will. Anyways, there are only three songs, patently performed live (I guess one does short sets at Fort Reno national park). [Ed. note: Fort Reno is a city park in DC across from Wilson High School. They have been hosting free shows (punk and otherwise) for over fifty years.] They remind me very much of early CIRCLE JERKS. Shortish, snotty blasts of fairly melodic punk.
A 21-song tape that displays this band’s tight medium-to-fast-paced hardcore sound well. There are some metal influences, but not in really blatant ways, with the accent on power. Lots of well-executed stop-and-go action, excellent vocals, and heavy bass and drums make this worth checking out.
Two absolutely great bands from Madison who have had cuts on the Meathouse compilation. Both bands are recording with Bob of HÜSKER DÜ, and hopefully will have some vinyl out soon. If it’s half as good as this tape, we’re in for a treat.
Pretty scorching, forceful HC with metallic tinges. Can’t comment on lyrics, but a couple titles (“My Bitch,” “Cops are Gay”) seem a little odd. Hmm…
Extremely herky-jerky HC, but they pull it off with tight as hell playing, intense thrashing, and an absolutely crazed vocal sound. Killer drumming and weird arrangements add distinction. More!
This is a fan-club-only release limited to 300 copies. Some of this is a little sappy, but most of it is exciting post-punk-style rockers with charging saxophone and guitar rhythms.
Some fast, juvenile sounding punk here with personal lyrics. Good stuff here and they have a totally cool logo: a sleeping cat!
This was a nice surprise. I first heard Copenhagen’s MELTING WALKMEN from their track on the very enjoyable This is Copenhagen comp. They also seem to have a wealth of older material to check out via the idiot box (internet). The title track “Pelikan” is more of the excellent post-synth-punk hoo-ha Á la NEW ORDER or maybe XMAL DEUTSCHLAND as heard on the aforementioned compilation. They are extremely Euro, and I mean that in the most endearing of ways. This tape is eye-opening to me in the fact that it reveals a punker and more rocking side of the band than one could maybe hear by checking out their back catalog. In fact, the second track starts off with a riff so familiar as being “Alcohol” by GANG GREEN that I was instantly thrashing from muscle memory. It’s not a straight rip-off though, but a pretty swell original tune which, along with the other two, makes this a worthy purchase to listen to on future rail adventures in Scandiland. Skol!
A three-song job that’s got the vocals clear and way up front, backed up by tight, cleanly produced thrash and punk. The intelligent lyrics are obviously being stressed here.
Medium-tempo SF punk with anti-war lyrics (I think), a few experimental touches (especially on “Mercs for Hire”), and a guitar that could use a helluva lot more distortion. The main problem here is the lack of any discernible passion.
This band is based in Florida, but they sound exactly like a British “skunk” group. Normally, that wouldn’t be a cause for celebration, but these guys manage to pull it off by virtue of a fast tempo and an extremely raw, unprofessional sound. Although marred by phony English accents, this is actually better than the standard UK release.
A gut-punching guitar yields a sonic storming of galloping action. Young, unyielding aggression pumps out some fast mayhem that crosses into dreary slow tempos, then pushes back in full maniac fashion. Reminiscent of early 7 SECONDS, this Missouri outfit needs to grow with the sound they are establishing. The enthusiasm and punch is strong, and there’s a dizzying barrage of splashing melodies, but the unoriginal drumming needs its own style. MENTAL CRISIS could be a potential menace.
METEOR POLICE has a weird, foreboding vibe to their grungy rock. Their guitars and lyrics noodle, rock, and crawl with a simultaneous playfulness and darkness. Two songs open with genuinely haunting riffs. The guitar and bass have a unique dynamic I can’t quite describe. The bass is usually playing a bit of a post-hardcore tune while the guitar sprinkles in these off-kilter, slightly bent lines. Every now and then, we hear a familiar HC/punk chord progression. That gave me just enough to orient myself between being thrown off balance again.
This band appears to consist of mostly aged punkers with probable knowledge of the Ohio classics they emulate, as well they should, since they hail from Columbus, home of the NEW BOMB TURKS. The PAGANS and RUBBER CITY REBELS, as well as non-Ohioans like the LAZY COWGIRLS can be felt here, but in a lukewarm Burger Beer sort of way. Totally competent, but never quite moving one from a shoulder dance from a barstool. Pittsburghers often hate on their neighbor state, but I’m pure Californian and this just doesn’t rock me out of the lazy Midwest coma it induces. Better luck next time.
Don’t know much about this except that it’s produced by Tom Lyle (GI), that it has the classic D.C. sound — driving punk with powerful guitarwork and clear, expressive vocals. Great.
Formerly called SLIPS Y SPERMA (see interview elsewhere in this issue), these guys play a DISCHARGE-like form of thrash with few hooks, repetitive riffs, and growling vocals. You either like this form a lot, or you get bored fast.
Split release between BOMB OUT from Berlin and MIAMI DEATH 2 out of Leipzig. The BOMB OUT side consists of a tight, well-produced metalcore/beatdown track with death metal parts reminiscent of AT THE GATES. MIAMI DEATH 2’s side consists of four tracks of gritty hardcore (including a noise track), all under three minutes. You want real short-attention-span hardcore? MIAMI DEATH 2 is your answer.
Sounding much like the early DESCENDENTS with a little bit of the GERMS spilled on ’em, MICROBES open up this six-song cassette with a title track that could almost pass as a FAT EP outtake. A lot of the resemblance has to do with the singer, but as the tape progresses the songs veer into youth crew-y (“Bad Vibes”) and even hardcore thrash (“Faces”) territories that Milo and co. never aspired to. To confuse things even further, the artwork and lyrical content is very much in line with the Crass Records style of yore. I bet you these guys make a hell of a chili, too.
Hardcore skate punk that wouldn’t be out of place on Fat Wreck. Overall, it’s pretty good. Lyrics are a bit political-leaning as opposed to your common skate punk band and that’s OK. The singer’s voice took a bit to get into, it’s a weird mix of Trevor from FACE TO FACE, Davey Havok, and screaming. Not bad once you actually get into it. There’s a definite AFI vibe to the “whoa-oh” parts, for sure. All in all, not a bad outing.
Apparently, this band had a song played on an episode of Scrubs, or at least its singer did. I wouldn’t call this punk, maybe punky alternative? It reminds of early RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS before they became a household name on MTV. I was never into that CHILI PEPPERS or JANE’S ADDICTION “punk influenced” sound. Not bad but not my thing. Where’s Spin when you need it?
33 or 45? At either speed it sounds wrong. Ambient/industrial weirdness from Japan.
MIHR means “peace” in Russian and that’s what preoccupies this intense thrash band. Both subject matter and music are delivered with lots of energy and commitment. Kicks ass!
This garagy recording is devoted to the glorification of pop-tarts. And though they don’t want to be known as purely “funnypunk,” it’s hard to take this five-songer seriously.
Medium-tempo hardcore, launching into fast. Plenty of melody, like early SOCIAL DISTORTION. Catchy songs don’t hurt either. I like it.
Forget the MIQUEL CO. side (sounds like Irish folk meets bad 70s rock), and the MASSACRE side is a 50/50 proposition. One tune is a pretty driving yet tuneful thrasher, but the other is a miserable metal clunker. Why?
I think it takes a certain level of self-awareness to be able to acknowledge when you just truly do not understand something. I wholeheartedly admit that MISCOMINGS from Seattle are very much that for me. Structureless, angular, plink-plunky, riff-less guitar licks over math-rock drums that incorporate blastbeats, disco beats, and many things in between, with vocals repetitively yelped on top. Kooky, artsy no wave/noise rock that leans into that nu-metal-feeling groove pretty heavily. Maybe it’s just over my head and I’m missing something.
More grungy street punk from these jokers. Some catchy tunes here, and “We Rule the World” is damn rockin’. Cool Stuff.
There’s a basic “SF street punk” sound forged out by the LEWD, FUCK-UPS, etc., and this band seems to fit that classification, save their sing-along choruses. Pretty good.
Ferocious punk and thrash from this new Canadian outfit. Lyrically, it’s mostly personal, but humor shines through on “Barbadeath” and “Punker Than Thou.” Blazing stuff!
This is a great band in the abrasive experimental punk vein. Loud guitars, heavy drumming, and interesting rhythms bring groups like NO TREND to mind, but these guys are definitely original. Aware lyrics and a couple of fast blasts add further fireworks, so send away for this today.
A fun-oriented South Bay bunch emerge with a rough-sounding 14-song tape. Although there’s no new ground broken here—just some suburban kids thrashing about in their garage to things like “Gomer Pyle” and “Drunk Fight”—there’s a lot of cool guitar work.
Sometimes jazzy, sometimes experimental, sometimes straight-ahead, this punk band presents very intelligent lyrics out front so you can hear them. The music is almost secondary, but not quite, as the band does add some drama and is far from incompetent. Good debut.
Around for a while but finally out with vinyl, this highly eclectic band debuts their sounds: post-punk, industrial, folk-punk, and more. Following in the footsteps of TOILING MIDGETS, SLEEPERS and even FLIPPER, you’ll find musicianship and intelligence at work here. Comes with booklet.
Varied sound quality and musical style, blues influenced folk rock to trashy punk. No less than 35 songs, not for the musically narrow minded.
Very powerful Swedish HC with “fuck you” lyrics and attitude. Words cover conformity, Freddy Krueger, and more. Good clean fun.
This Swedish band is confusing. Their earlier Oi-influenced tape contained what might have been blatant stupidity. With song titles like “Anti-Fag” and KKK” and chants of “skinhead… sieg heil,” it was impossible to tell where they stood. But on this new EP, there’s a change, both musically and lyrically. Now, they combine sloppy thrash in the ABSURD vein and ponderous drones with anti-war themes, but the results remain mixed.
Solid medium-to-fast-paced punk. The song titles are also in the older idiot punk mold—”She Won’t Cum,” “Jerk Off,” “Bust Yer Face,” etc. Hmmm.
This is a great Bay Area garage band. I mean, this is such a good example of the genre it could be from the Midwest! Hilarious lyrics and a grungy sound make the MOHAWKS appealing as hell.
Remember “TVOD” by the NORMAL? Well, this band is sort of in that genre, along with early HUMAN LEAGUE, etc. Lots of experimentation with electronics with a punk feel overall.
Uncompromising lyrics from this band that contains former NO THANKS guitarist Rob Urie. The music is disjointed thrash.
The MONEY DOGS play good modern semi-thrashers. The distinguishing features here are some gnarly guitar fills, better-than-average lyrics, and rather annoying vocals.
A band that has gotten together one day a year for 22 years to make a yearly recording. Sort of has a children’s music feeling?! Playful and very goofy. A basement WEEN?! Not what I want, but maybe you do…
RAMONES-influenced rock that has a good bit of depth musically and lyrically. MONTY VEGA’s webpage cites paying musical respect to Joey and they also have a song entitled “Poor Dee Dee.” There’s a bit of GROOVIE GHOULIES here and the keyboards bring in some punk new wave Á la the MINDS, which culminates in a great cover of “Goodbye To You” by SCANDAL. The social commentary video “Failed State” is worth checking out and furthers the case that this isn’t just a homage party band. Seems like this is a two-piece quarantine project, but post-COVID they should be back to a full band which gives me something to look forward to.
Sometimes when I start writing a review, the record’s description ends up coming out as something I would never want to listen to even if I am enjoying what I am hearing. Sounds like the RAMONES (boring!). Songs about unrequited love (yawn!). A song called “Facebook Fighting” (who cares?). Goofy band name (eh). An odd selection of covers (OK, that’s fun). It is best to let go of all musical knowledge and preconceptions with this one and simply enjoy the tunes. The songs are peppy and straightforward poppy punk, but not in that annoying pop punk way. MONTY VEGA’s vocal style is bratty, but more Dee Dee than Joey. The best song on the cassette, “Gravity Man,” has the band moving into the garage rock lane. As for the covers, “Ghost Rider” is slowed down with spoken-style vocals making it sound really cool, and “Hungry Heart,” a song BRUCE SPRINGTEEN originally wrote for the RAMONES, is better than expected. I like this no matter what I say.
Portland seems to have a relentless line on cool art punk damage DIY groups. COLLATE and LITHICS spring to mind, and MOPE GROOVES! This is cool falling apart art fumble that feels urgent and desperate and real, it’s got a transcendent sounds-heard-in-another-room feel that only the best bedroom art has. Makes me think of AMOS & SARA and other HOMOSEXUALS offshoots in a refreshing manner rather than mere reproduction style. It sounds alive and now. Pop music for punk dreamers who want to watch and to be. Freedom sounds.
For a garage effort, this tape sounds pretty good. It’s a neat mixture of thrash, older powerchord punk, and rock’n’roll Á la HEARTBREAKERS.
Good sound and variety here. Both punk and thrash with tuneful, intelligent songs, delivered with punch. Cool singing as well. The more I hear, the more I like. A cut above.
In about a year, these guys could put out a killer record. They’ve got their thrash licks down, but need to develop their distinctiveness a bit. Also, the lyrics, which seem highly satirical, are pretty ambiguous. On a few songs, though—like “Power Games”—you can see how intense they might become.
Yee…ouch! Totally searing punk and HC — sharp as hell, powerful, with a guitar sound that cuts steel! Blazing Midwest thrash.
Freaky and lighthearted hardcore from Berlin, that tends to bleed into some art-punk territory in its down-tempo moments. The track “Ants in My Pants” brings listeners back down to earth, like all the way on the ground, where everybody can get weird and nobody needs to be taking themselves too seriously. This is for you, if you are into fun and refreshing weirdo hardcore.
This band has most of their shit together: a hot display of garage-y HC and punk with metallic guitar bits. Lyrics are in the personal/social view. Good effort.
One of the most powerful new groups I’ve heard from SoCal. It’s head-on thrash meets SOCIAL DISTORTION. The production is great, and it doesn’t hurt that their lyrical commitment matches the intensity of the music.
Minimalist, lo-fi punk with a beach theme and decent dose of angst. The message is mostly unintelligible except the emphatic, “fuck cops!”. Waves crash in the background of the instrumental third track, behind a menacingly repetitive surfy guitar riff accented by some female screams suggesting a shark attack or other seaside calamity. This would be a great record to get stoned and zone out to, except that it’s not quite long enough to get lost in—clocking in at just over six minutes. Definitely curious about what these beach-oriented weirdo punks from Kansas will come up with next.
Four really solid tracks of power pop from Melbourne, Australia with equal tinges of NERVES-era Paul Collins mixed with the power-pop-punk that came out of Portland/Seattle/Vancouver in the early aughts. I’m thinking SODA POP KIDS, BRIEFS, TRANZMITORS, and WHITE WIRES-style. If released a generation earlier, one of these tracks would likely end up in a John Hughes movie.
Post-hardcore gooners salute, as Richmond’s MUCK comes to provide the rage-compressed vocals and frenzy cadences you crave. Mid-paced tempos with clockwork rhythms that go full straight-up hardcore punk with accompanying guitars that tweak and screech from time to time. Great demo, eager to hear more.
This rips. MUELL is a Berlin duo that blasts through six brief tracks of buzzing, super high-energy noise punk on this tape. It’s hard to tell at times which parts are guitar and which are synth because each song is a blown-out exercise in musical economy and maximum volume, but it flows perfectly and deserves a replay right after it ends. “Kunde” starts off the tape with pounding drums paired with bass pulses and hollered vocals that sound equal parts exhilarated and exhausted. “Markt” gallops with D-beats and tangling trebly guitar lines, while the next track, “Weiss, Reich,” just fuckin smokes with speed and a verbal attack on racism and nationalism. Great tape, with one complaint: these jokers made their Bandcamp page all red text on a red background, so you have to highlight each section to see anything. Nice one, you rascals.
Five songs of wacky, drum-machine-driven, synth-heavy post-punk from Berlin. At least I think it’s a drum machine. Unlabeled black cassette comes in a blank black O-card sleeve with a tiny sticker of the album art in one corner. Clearly, some research is necessary to figure out what we’ve got here. Hmm, the internet is absolutely no help, the band’s bare-bones Bandcamp is all that can be found, which makes it hard to even tell if their band name is spelled MÜLLHEIM or MÜELLHEIM. But wait, there is a booklet that comes with the cassette! Excitedly I dive in, hoping to unearth some sort of information. To my dismay, it is a fourteen-page mini-zine of scattered, stamped letter-art and no info whatsoever. It does look really cool though, and my intrigue is growing as I flip the tape for a third time. But wait, what’s this at the bottom of my box of cassettes to review? Three beer bottle labels peeled off of different German pilsners? Eureka! Handwritten letters from the band to Maximum Rocknroll!
Label 1: “Hello, we are MÜLLHEIM. Berlin-based synth-punk from Berlin, Germany.”
Label 2: “Info: founded 2020. Band: Patient 1—Voc/Git. Patient 2—Bass/Synth. Patient 3—Drums.”
Label 3: “Thank you very much—MÜLLHEIM”
Finally, some information! I learned that…..well, I learned that it’s an actual drummer? Wait, what if Patient 3 is a drum machine?! Hmm, I guess I learned nothing except that MÜLLHEIM is absolutely incredible! I listened to the tape over and over while continuing to come up empty handed. Mysterious Guy Hardcore is dead, all hail Mysterious German Synth Punk!
It gives me no pleasure whatsoever to write a bad review, especially when it comes to a band whose members are primarily female. I definitely did not like this and I’m even tempted to say it’s bad. The main vocalist sings off key in almost every song and sounds like a mix of Courtney Love and Corin Tucker. The secondary vocalist is much better, but lacks timing and conviction. The worst part of this band is that they’re boring. Just very bland delivery of the lyrics and the accompanying music is never very exciting. Of the nine tracks on this release, my least favorite is “Goth Girls,” and unfortunately it’s the longest song, clocking in at just over four minutes. What I dislike the most is the lyrics. For most of the verses they’re trying to squeeze too many syllables into each line. The chorus allows for some breathing room, and I even enjoy the backup vocals here, but overall the song sucks and it’s pretty cringeworthy. I was very underwhelmed by the entire release. The most interesting thing about it is that it was recorded, produced, and mixed by Tommy Stinson, but even that couldn’t save it for me.
Relentless 1-2-1-2 stomp driving short bursts of hardcore punk that lands between Riot City and NAKED AGGRESSION. Male and femme vocals bark back and forth while this trio plays music like a snotty teenage kid on a skateboard plowing through a sidewalk filled with stooges trudging to the office. Guitars are more advanced that the record implies (check “Descent of Dissent” in particular), which gives the band a bit of the Midwest basement gnarl that I love—eleven tracks in all, and they wrap things up so fast that they just repeat ’em on the flip side.
The second full-length from Milwaukee’s MURDER GENERATION picks up with where 2019’s self-titled debut left off—hard-hitting, bare-bones, fist-pumping Rust Belt punk. It seems like as soon as one song ends, the steady monotony of getting beaten by a snare drum is back in your face before you can take a breath. The songs lurch between riffs in a way that is inescapably Midwestern (that’s a compliment), and this record is a notable step above the first.
This Melbourne band was likened to the FALL or KILLING JOKE, which isn’t too far off, but they also do songs that sound like CRISIS or some of the more raw, inspiring ’77 punk bands. A couple of these five cuts (like “Atom Age”) are especially likable due to the killer drum and bass lines; the others are more poppish but still really good. Recommended.
The twisted musical hi-jinx of this tape recalls TIN HUEY, but this outfit has more of a garage sensibility. This is spare, arty rock with a rhythm-machine backdrop—and maybe I wasn’t particularly moved by the music on this cassette because this band isn’t excited by what they sing about.
MUSTA LAMMAS straddle that boundary between hardcore and thrash, adding a loose Finnish sound and ending up with nothing too grabbing. The songs mine a gritty, medium- to fast-tempo style, and it was difficult to remember much in the way of riffs, much less songs, when the EP ended.
So-so speedmetal without too much personality or distinction. One long, slow number is memorable, but the rest is passable.
Charlotte, North Carolina’s MUTANT STRAIN has returned with a teaser tape to satisfy the slime hordes until their next LP is recorded. If you haven’t heard their self-titled LP released last year on Sorry State, it is an essential slab of high-speed slime-core with frenzied vocals, constant punk’n’roll riffs, and furious octopus-arm drumming. Go get it. They are by far one of the best freaky outsider hardcore bands around, and a fearsome live act. This tape sounds like it was recorded live and captures the intensity of the band’s performances in all their frantic, blown-out glory. The tracks aren’t listed here, but it sounds like a batch of several in a row like how they appear on the LP and when played at shows. It’s about as close to being at one of their gigs as can be. Near the end of the tape is an interesting sound collage with what sounds like looped conversations and drone-y guitar with super harsh vocals on top. It’s disconcerting and menacing in the best way. Whether that is a new direction for the band, I don’t know, but I’m here for it. Epic punk shit, indeed.
Chunky garage-punk from this all-gal band, good garagey tuneage, rockin’ energy, and they have a song called “Mosh”!
According to the back of the CD, all songs on this effort are written, recorded and performed by Jim Morrissey (presumably no relation to the eccentric vegan). Not only that but they were recorded between 2006 and 2008. What you do get is an eclectic mix of songs that are definitely steeped in late-’70s UK punk. The SWELL MAPS come to mind, as does early WIRE and the VIBRATORS. It’s actually rather good, and if those bands mean anything to you, then well worth tracking this one down.
Basic punk rock and HC with a variety of lyrics, from silly to serious. Not bad, 21 tunes.
HUNGER ARTIST has a great non-metallic hardcore sound with personal lyrics. N.O.D.R. remind me of a less polished SUICIDAL TENDENCIES with political and socially oriented lyrics.
Punk and thrash from NONE OF THE ABOVE. Mostly slower songs, but great crashing guitars and lyrics.
Much better than their earlier tape. The sound is fuller, there’s more attack, and the lyrics are every bit as good. NOTA remind me a bit of ARTICLES OF FAITH, so drop them a line and order this tape.
HALSABSCHNEIDER remind me of a sloppier German version of the NEOS. They play 78-rpm garage thrash which stutters along incoherently and with considerable humor (except on the slow “Unser Lied”). NACHDRUCK, on the other hand, have a more controlled ’77-style punk attack with engaging choruses, more serious lyrics, and a occasional post-punk flourish. A good contrast.
Three-song self-released cassette from Atlanta, GA. For those of you not yet familiar with NAG, they have already released a slew of releases, including a single on Total Punk Records. Choppy, spastic hardcore punk that also mixes in mid-tempo garage aspects, and does it damn well. These three songs are awesome and it seems that since this tape was released, there is a new LP out now as well. Gonna be getting my hands on that ASAP.
NAPE NECK is a trio from Leeds playing post-punk that’s simultaneously tangled and taut, danceable and destructed, all while resisting any attempts to be easily situated as the latest addition to a specific geographic and genre-based continuum that stretches back to GANG OF FOUR and DELTA 5. There’s definitely some echoes of Andy Gill’s razor-edged guitar scratch in the mix, but if anything, NAPE NECK’s knotted rhythms and the intersecting/overlapping vocal shouts from all three band members bring to mind the mid ’90s neo-No Wave revival led by bands like MELTDOWN and SCISSOR GIRLS (or in the early ’00s, ERASE ERRATA), who drew inspiration from the spiky tension of first wave UK post-punk but translated it through the more wild and free tendencies of DNA-descended downtown art-noise. “No Platforming” and “Paperweight” are all clipped Morse code rhythms and sharply punctuated lyrical declarations, while the delirious, snaking guitar and dueling vocals in “Job Club” push against steady bass throb and stark, calculated beats as NAPE NECK effortlessly walk the tightrope between chaos and calm. An absolutely savage debut, and probably the most exciting new band I’ve heard in at least a few years.
The UK’s leading jabbers and scrabblers NAPE NECK return with the follow-up to their absolutely bruising self-titled 2020 cassette debut, and somehow they’ve managed to squeeze the vice even tighter on Look Alive. Vocals from all three band members push and pull against one another, fighting for space in a claustrophobic crush of caustic sheet metal six-string scrape and a frenetic, lockstep rhythmic rumble, like the DOG FACED HERMANS or the EX if they had come up through artist lofts rather than anarcho squats. The exquisitely ERASE ERRATA-esque “Aim Slow” scratches and slides through a cycle of needling guitar and staccato bass grind before breaking down into abstracted-from-language shouts punctuating the title imperative; blink-and-you-missed-it chorus clangs of cowbell provide some limber post-punk-funk release in the otherwise hermetically pressurized “Kiss Me Boy, I’m Dying;” “Warm Air” spirals around a Möbius strip bass line, bisected by an anxious and agitated/coolly collected call-and-response vocal tradeoff—but anxious almost always wins out with NAPE NECK. No wave for the now!
This band churns out some tuneful SoCal thrash/punk with clear vocals. Yet another unheard-of combo with something to say and a good way of doing it.
Spooky synth punk from Oakland, centered around bass, drums, and sci-fi organ. It’s a mixed bag for me—there are a few great punk jams on here like “What’s on Your Mind?” and “The Mercy of the Law” that blend the gothic keys with gritty melody, sounding like the SPITS riding by a cemetery. “Stranger Walking Through” is the best track here— it’s got dirty, driving bass, vocal attitude, and just the right amount of creepy-crawl organ. NASTY WORLD occasionally reaches a little too far into the nether realms, like on “I Can Have/You Can Have” and “Nasty World.” While the vocals evoke “Cough/Cool” vibes, the organ and theremin trills end up sounding closer to Scooby Doo than post-punk or deathrock intended. There is enough here for me to look forward to their next release though, and I know that I’ll be pulling this tape out in October.
Great garage-y punk and thrash that brings CODE OF HONOR to mind. Lyrics seem to be in the social/political vein. Good stuff, and a tasteful name, too.
A three-song release, all of which rage pretty good. Hard-driving thrash with tuneage, no let-up, pounding drums and lots of power. A good one.
This band describes their sound as a mixture of ska, metal, and thrash. A nice combination of influences from song to song, all topped off with popish riffs. Basic, and not too daring but enjoyable for some.
Decent thrash and raw punk centered around pretty bleak personal themes. Metal influences in both music and lyrics, though it’s more punk than metal. Is this misogyny or childish ghoulism?
’77-style punk from Switzerland. The A-side has a satirical anti-macho approach and a nice chorus, but the flip, with its loping bass line, primitive guitar lead, tightness, and irresistible sing-along character, is by far the better song. Good fun.
Forty-five—count em—forty-five songs are on this tape, probably this Chicago band’s entire repertoire. Unfortunately, you can’t really hear too much because of the sound quality, mostly live and garage tracks that are almost buried beneath the rumble. You can barely hear some cool shit going on, but this one’s more of an artifact.
NEGAZIONE musters up one of the most ferocious Italian EPs I heard in a long, long time. Crisp production adds an edge to frenetic thrash that reminds me of the great INDIGESTI, but with a more biting vocal attack. One would be well advised to get this record immediately.
Banzai! Italian thrash merchants explore the realm of 1000 MPH momentous speed and aggression. Zazzo’s vocals scream and cry out in a wild frenzied manner as the zooming mayhem is dished out in sonic drum smashings and well delivered guitar licks. The total blitzkrieg approach of DRI, it has rhythm and quickness. Great release.
A five-song, one-sided 7″, this is largely abrasive slower punk/post-punk. It’s all well-done, though I think knowing the lyrics would be most helpful.
Very cool, catchy, mid-tempo head-bobbing punk from Wilmington, North Carolina. The lo-fi recording feels very fitting for the band, but the even lower-fi artwork makes it hard to decipher how many songs there are on the cassette. The tracks being in a completely different order than they’re listed and the program repeating over and over on the tapes doesn’t help that either. Eight or nine songs, two of which are covers: “Civilization’s Dying” by ZERO BOYS and “Don’t Hide Your Hate” by FILTH.
Thrash-metal riffs mixed in with melodic punk, sludgy emotional parts, incredibly loud sound clips, and occasionally rapped lyrics. The main riff in “School Shooter” sounds a lot like that one really cool HOLIER THAN THOU song, but the rest of the song unfortunately does not. The last thing I ever want to do is misinterpret people, but I will say that if you’re going to have a song entitled “Slut Shame” where the only easily decipherable word in the song is “whore” yelled twice, you may want to consider including lyrics with your demo in order to avoid drawing the wrong conclusions.
NERVOUS TICK AND THE ZIPPER LIPS is a solo recording project of MRR cassette reviewer extraordinaire Eric “Biff” Bafaro, and this is the fourth and final volume of his COVID Collaborations series. The deal with said series is that Mr. TICK invites another musician (generally a fellow Rust Belter) to join him in providing an original song, a cover of one of the other artist’s tracks, and vocals (and maybe lyrics) for a song written by the other artist. Here the collaborator is Buffalo musician (now out of Long Beach) EYES AND FLYS. The ZIPPER LIPS original is a jaunty garage-pop/lite-hardcore number with some sci-fi new wave touches—sounds like a Red Snerts track mashed up with Another Wasted Night-era GANG GREEN. I’m into it! The EYES AND FLYS original “Drive Slow,” not unlike the KANYE WEST track of the same name, is built atop a tight little sample of an obscure-ish classic—in this case, the INTELLIGENCE’s “Garbage in Garbage Out”—and ends up being a woozy lo-fi dirge. Also cool! I’m not familiar enough with either original these covers are based on, but the end results are fine enough. The two true collaborations are probably the most interesting tracks on the release (which isn’t to say they’re the best!). “I Need Time,” a ZIPPER LIPS track with EYES AND FLYS on vocals, is a druggy downer punk number that reminds me of LIFE STINKS. It’s maybe my favorite track on here. Then there’s “I Believe in Science Fiction.” EYES AND FLYS lays down a jangly psych track—complete with a harsh raygun organ outro!—and Lou Koller…I mean NERVOUS TICK croaks on about Captain Kirk and wanting to be blasted out into space or whatever. It’s certainly something! Anyway, both the concept and execution here are fun, and I wish more artists did stuff like this.
It’s like late-’80s DC crashing full speed into late-’80s California. Like BEEFEATER and BL’AST. Heavy rock’n’roll vibes, but ferocious punk energy, and an enviably nasal vocal snarrrrrrl. Only four cuts here, but they close with “Tired,” which makes me anything but tired. No contact info on the tape, but these cats are from Amsterdam and are recommended!
A decent little record that sounds like it’s straight out of ’79. While not too exciting or raucous, it’s got that simple punk beat and attitude, a garagy pop sound.
Some pretty powerful thrash that I bet Pus would like: sloppy, energetic, and echoey, with cool guitar and vocals. Good sound quality too.
This French record has exceptionally echoey, growling vocals and choruses, very engaging guitar work, and a crisp sound. Jeff thinks these guys are inept and annoying, but I particularly appreciate the strange song structures and the drumming, which seems totally out of it. Thrash that’s a bit “off.”
Formed from the ashes of VIOLENT COERCION, this band plays powerhouse thrash and pounding BL’AST-ish noise, accented by anti-authority lyrics. A fierce band to watch out for.
Following up their 2019 album Magnet, NEW BERLIN’s third full-length continues their exploration of post-indie garage pop. The album’s sonic terrain opens with a nod to raw minimalism, echoing the dissonant spirit of WIRE, then moves quickly into flirtation with the sunnier side of jangle-pop shoegaze. There’s a tip of the hat to honky-tonk country on the third and fourth tracks, before settling into a cleaned up LOU REED-esque groove that prevails for the remaining songs. The trajectory is a bit disorienting, though not incoherent or whiplash-inducing. While not revolutionary, State of the Union makes for great background music with pleasing aesthetics and digestible harmonies. If you want to be challenged by an album, this will not fit the bill, but for a laid-back palette cleanser, it just might.
A four-song debut that exhibits a chunky thrash style. Stop/go parts, semi-jazzy drumming, and vocal harmonies are all prevalent, and it might come out on vinyl later.
Fun, garage-y, varied punk with good, common sense lyrics. Good stuff, but “Terminal Dudes” and “Gay Rape Squad” stand out as prime cuts.
Two doses of darkness from California. AMEBIX meets CHRISTIAN DEATH, with high howling vocals and a great metallic plodding pace to “Extinction of Bodies” that stays firmly planted on the weirdo/punk side of the spectrum. It just feels dark and dangerous. Sketchy. Could listen on repeat for an hour and not get bored….just did, in fact.
Just missing Halloween, NEW SKELETAL FACES play gothic post-punk crust, with dissonant sub-aquatic bass lines and discordant contemporary blackened metal riffing. Vocals are grim, sometimes screeching and other times howling, like SHADOW PROJECT meets ZERO HOUR. Songs sound like ROSETTA STONE channeling SATYRICON. Themes are ghoulish cemetery strolling metaphors about the dying planet and a perverse overestimated society. This three-piece make dire cacophonies calling to (or rather, from) the grave. The last songs on each side are my favorite, with IRON MAIDEN, EMPEROR, DEVIATED INSTINCT and CHRISTIAN DEATH flavors peppering them. Recommended for fiends of the dark crafts and infernal tones.
I was not familiar with this band going in, so when I went to their Bandcamp page and noticed the pile of skulls in their banner image and mistakenly saw the cover photo of this cassette as a deformed animal skull, I braced myself for a red-hot dose of crust. Fortunately for you guys, my initial impression turned out to be way off (I can get down with some crust, but I’m definitely not qualified to write about it)! I also see now that this cover image is an oddly cropped, high-contrast, black-and-white photo of a lady…laying on a bear rug(?). Anyway, this is great! NEW VOGUE is a synth-y punk/post-punk band out of Montreal, and this eight-song cassette is their third release. If you’re a fan of TOTAL CONTROL’s punkier cuts, you’ll dig this. “Safe on the Autobahn,” one of the standout tracks, sounds like JAY REATARD covering a DEVO song that was written as a tribute to KRAFTWERK, which is not a far-off comparison for the rest of the cassette. There are some moments where they dip into some odd harmonies that don’t quite fit, or they put a little too much flanger effect on the vocals for my taste. But these are minor quibbles with an overall solid release.
Chunky garage punk with that charming raw quality. Lyrics run the gamut from personal stuff to silly sarcasm. Purdy good.
I admire a band whose sound perplexes me on the first listen. I’ve heard a lot of records in my life so it’s not usually the case. This LP has a slick sound while managing to be lo-fi. There is a SQUEEZE-meets-NINE INCH NAILS vibe which makes me chuckle. It’s an interesting combination. A poppy piano style with high, monotonous vocals and harmonies backed with a drum machine, electronics and a repetitive chorus. It’s pretentious while also being laid back. Then the last song “Bag” does a 180 and goes for an upbeat, dance-y, almost commercial sound. Touché.
High-energy party-heavy punk rock’n’roll. Screaming guitars up front at all times, and you can practically feel beer cans whizzing by your head as their brand of amped-up club punk reaches to NASHVILLE PUSSY to inspiration. NIGHT TALKERS sound instantly familiar, probably because they have existed as different entities with different monikers in different cities practically since the dawn of punk. But hard-hitting burners like “Trapped” are timeless.
Heavy crust punk from Seattle. They’ve definitely done their homework with this band. The songs all sound like you’ve heard them before, which either means that they wrote some catchy riffs or that their songwriting is damn good at aping the bands that have inspired them. I definitely hear some AUS ROTTEN-type hooks coming through with a few of them. Eight tracks in total, ending with covers of MISSBRUKARNA and the VICTIMS (Australia). The covers might be my favorite part as they not only do the songs justice, but it also seems to force the band to break out of the pretty standard crust sound of their originals. They play the different genres of punk surprisingly well.
It took me a while to sit down with this one and write about it, yet I listened to it most of last year. It is one of the best records of 2022. NIGHTFEEDER was introduced to me in demo form by a friend and I was blown away. Then came an excellent EP, and this debut LP is the pinnacle of their sound. Song subjects cover such punk life issues as psychological torment, the existential, and being irreverently maligned by the system. What NIGHTFEEDER does best is rip with the feeling of blood, sweat, anguish, and angst. I’m not sure it’s really a formal term, but this is American crust as a style of hardcore punk that was sincerely invented by the members of this band (DEATHRAID, CONSUME, SHITLIST, STATE OF FEAR, DISRUPT…) and the regions where they started playing punk. NIGHTFEEDER plays with US thrash and hardcore influences and European/Scandi-crust dynamics, while delivering a classic hard rock’n’roll sound when they feel like it, because they fuckin’ feel like it. That is the attitude of this band and record in a nutshell. An amalgamation of MOTÖRHEAD, POISON IDEA, CRUCIFIX, INEPSY, DISFEAR, and DISCARD comes to mind. I’m even finding some RUDIMENTARY PENI chords here. Cut All of Your Face Off is a must if you’re looking for a gut-punch that is not any form of DIY trend and is like the quintessential hardcore punk and crust records from the last several decades. If you haven’t heard it in person, you’ll put the needle down on Side One and go “holy shit…”—that’s pretty much the reaction I get from others every time. And on Side Two, they turn the burners up all the way. The drumming on “Amoral Minority”…ugh. The LP is dismal, charred punk rock goodness (grief) from start to finish.
For the ’90s death metal and crust scene, and beyond really, a full-length had to have a classic intro. EXTREME NOISE TERROR, DISRUPT, HIATUS, MISERY, ENTOMBED, TERRORIZER… something to give you a taste of what you’d be fucking with. How often can that be said about a demo? Well, in the case of NIGHTMARE FUEL, you are getting just that. Punctuated STATE OF FEAR-style hardcore crust, with prolific death metal virtuosity. An exceptionally balanced smash-face fast-forward HAIL OF RAGE pummeling, to the thunderous aspects of DYSTOPIA with monstrous vocals. Far be it from me to turn down a new crust demo, but rarely do they exude such inspired changes, fills and detailed production. This is fucking leveling for a demo! I do not have the technical knowhow to describe the hi-fi tune of the guitars compared to the tight lo-fi of the snare, but that is all there. All is wrought with dense grooves and classic ’90s cinematic sampling. I love that! NIGHTMARE FUEL has created a prison of desperation, gloom and anxiety communicated via an apocalyptic galloping crustcore attack. A carnival of riff madness Á la CENTINEX to the thrashing anthemic conversation of SHITLIST, NIGHTMARE FUEL nods to several generations of death metal, hardcore punk and crust in its most self-realized era. Underneath all that, poignant lyrics concerning depression, unraveled trust, unraveling truths, society’s fucks, the planet’s chaotically spiraling demise. A not-to-be-missed demo. And I know the foredooming LP will crush. This grim gang of the PNW will surely rule live if anything ever lives again.
Punk’s bare bones nature is a good showcase for songwriting. That means NITE SPRITES have plenty of room for their memorable hooks, usually played on the cleaner end of distortion with some solid drumming. Songs like “Closer to the Back” and “The Ocean” begin with and build on some great, driving motifs. Vocalists Case and Mambo alternate between growls and croons, bringing to mind bands like AGAINST ME! or YOUNG PIONEERS who bought some of the urgency of crust and hardcore to a more sincere punk rock.
Old-fashioned Cali skate punk here in the vein of early OFFSPRING with a bit of TSOL mixed in. A tight band that I imagine kills at ramp jams, NLK OLDBONES should totally team up and play with BLUE ELEPHANT AND THE SEVEN SNAKES if they haven’t already.
Medium-speed thrash, with an occasionally quirky guitar. The vocals sound a bit like YOUTH BRIGADE and X. Good challenging lyrics.
Pretty tense stuff here: fierce DRI-ish thrash with herky-jerky breaks and a good amount of innovation. Lyrics cover racism, vivisection, and other evils of society. Hot stuff.
Cool basic punk rock with words challenging the media, the military, leaders and more good garage-y fun.
Well-done—but fairly standard—thrash. NO DIRECTION’s lyrics cover a wide range of subjects and, compared to what’s generally available in America’s stifling heartland, they’re a breath of crisp, cool air.
A great consistent tape of rapid HC not unlike POISON IDEA or JERRY’S KIDS, while still maintaining some identity. Good lyrics, clean production, and lots of songs make this a necessary addition to your collection.
It’s hard when you’re a legendary band and you make a new record. How can a band like NO FRAUD not be resoundingly panned for making a record that’s “not as good” as their tape that came out 35 years ago? Well, a record like Straight Lines Crooked Morals is a pretty good fucking start. Fast-as-shit and wildly erratic, this is a formidable hardcore punk juggernaut with a healthy dose of irreverence. The achievement for a band with a revered legacy making a “new” record is when the listener goes “damn, this is sick” and kinda forgets that they’re listening to the band that wrote “Fuck Your Shit” in 1984. And that’s where my mind was when I was blasting “Trendy Fuck” in 2021, so well done. Twenty blasts of ferocious Florida hardcore punk.
Pretty intelligent stuff from this Modesto, CA band (no relation to North Carolina’s NO LABELS). Their music is bass-heavy, slower, and fuzzed-out. Interesting.
A great, great tape. I hope they release it as a record ’cause it’s as good as thrash comes. By now, you should have picked up the No Core compilation, so you’ll have some idea what they sound like.
One of those modern rarities, a truly self-produced UK release. This three-song job is very straightforward, mid-tempo, non-dogmatic political material. Though nothing new or special, there’s a basic honesty here that is refreshing, sort of like early NEWTOWN NEUROTICS.
From Chicago comes this promising young band. On their debut 45, they do two raw, atmospheric post-punk numbers with a basic guitar-bass-drum backing. The lyrics are alternately existential (“Echoes”) and political (“Nuclear Fear”), and the singer is female. Atypical.
Clean powerful thrash from this new Bay Area band. Can’t comment on the lyrics (none provided) but they do rip, shred, and all that.
A hot speedcore act mixing the sounds of METALLICA and the ACCUSED. Six songs and a funny interview, one darn impressive tape.
Did some alien spores from Outer Space land near a farm outside this Wisconsin town some twenty-odd years ago, and impregnate the helpless local population? That’s the question I must ask after hearing this tape, which in the S.U.M. tradition combines twisted vocals, psychotic instrumentation, and a raw sound quality into a wonderfully deranged listening experience.
Taking his tunes from his former band, NO SYSTEM, Al Quint (MRR reporter, Suburban Voice editor) teams up with PTL KLUB for six totally ripping tunes. Hot thrash, great lyrics, and strong beliefs back this baby up. Shoulda been a record.
A great new New Jersey group with an intense female vocalist, slashing guitar chords, and top-notch lyrics. “Fuck the Past” proves that NO THANKS rank right up there with the best.
Oh no, the FLIPPER crud has spread to the heartland of straight-edge country. Actually, it’s more like FLIPPER meets early CABARET VOLTAIRE. The funniest song title is “Quincy Fights Punk Rock.”
Full-on speedmetal, but with mostly good lyrics about vivisection, war, and reality. These bozos are also fun live, but I’d only recommend this to metal fanatics.
The first couple of tunes would lead one to believe this band is firmly rooted in the early ’70s sound of the STOOGES/DOLLS. But further on they display their punk and hardcore side. Since this is a garage quality tape, it’s hard to tell exactly how together they are, but I suspect they’re a good outfit live.
This live tape is characterized by long songs, with somewhat of a slow STOOGES influence, and perhaps a bit of early TELEVISION mixed in. The sound quality is decent for a live recording, but some of the wanking and effects get a bit obscured, as this is moody stuff.
NOPE are from Winnipeg, Manitoba. The impression of listening to the first couple of tracks was about DISORDER/CHAOS UK vibes but this also somehow has a F.Y.P. or Recess Records feel. Less punch or aggression, more garage punky, and sloppy, catchy (somewhat), and most importantly, fun. Artwork consists of pictures of a dump and with song titles like “We’ve Tried Nothing And We’re All Out Of Ideas” it sounds like trash in the most appropriate way possible.
File this one in the “must listen” column, and brace yourself. It sounds weird, it sounds like pure chaos, it sounds….well, just listen. All of the ramshackle fury of early ’80s Italy tempered with ’00s fastcore, and a thick, noisy delivery. I could listen to this a thousand times and not get bored…the guitar is weird, the vocals are weird, the guitar overdubs are ever weirder—it’s just…off. Which means it’s just…right. These Budapest kids have never let me down, but I wasn’t expecting to be this floored. Highest recommendation.
This band is the best kind of weird. Philly three-piece consisting of drums, percussion (photos online show a member playing one of those strap-on marching band tom sets), and bass that delivers a psych blast of crunchy, heavy tunes oozing with experimentation and noise. The drums are ridiculously good, constantly rolling and lurching the songs forward, accompanied by fuzzy bass and overlapping, reverbed vocals that recall a more lysergic LIGHTNING BOLT. “Drowned Out” sounds like a chugging BLACK SABBATH march turned inside out. Check out the beautiful, visionary artwork and sing along to lyrics about the cosmos, consciousness, and other freaky shit. Oh, and Steve Albini recorded it, so it sounds amazing.
Musically, this is hot Oi!-ish punk with loads of power. Lyrically, they appear confused. They seem to have a leftist/anarchist viewpoint, but also a sexist and homophobic attitude. No one rules? Duh.
A mixed back of songs recorded in ’81 by this now defunct Canadian outfit. A lot of older-style punk, some with good hooks, but rendered largely obsolete by recent stylistic changes. However, one song, “Malcontents,” is as powerful and driving as anything going, and makes me sad that they decided to call it quits.
Hard-edged power-pop with definite Mod influences. The vocals are a bit reminiscent of early Jonathan Richman, and the music also has traces of those MODERN LOVERS, along with the early Jolt and Jam. Unfortunately, they try to cover the TROGGS’ “Lost Girl,” which proves to be a disastrous failure, but then nobody is quite like the TROGGS.
A strong release from the Potsdam, Germany punk scene. The band is led by a scathing female vocal attack from singer Claudi. Her delivery compliments the tight rhythm section and angular guitars. Her delivery and the band’s range have some of the pop of Cinder Block of early TILT, Mia Zapata’s attitude and aggression with the GITS, and Penelope Houston’s politics with AVENGERS.
Catchy harmonized vocals accompanied by a very clean, crisp, polished sound make up this three-song EP. “Corporate Toy” is the farthest from being background music; the other two songs almost lose it by the lack of power that they fail to offer. One out of three—not too bad.
Really quite good for a debut. Their sound is charging hardcore, but with plenty of melody and full guitars, not unlike fellow Midwesterners HÜSKER DÜ. That touch of psychedelic/metal adds a lot to thrash when it’s not overbearing.
Eleven songs recorded live at the band’s last show in August ’84. Reminds me a bit of SHATTERED FAITH and other early LA punk bands. An occasional spaz-out input of speed thrash, but quickly fades into average, raw, and melodic songs. Lacking that extra kick of originality. Good production.
While the tape quality is decent, the music is more than that. The 14 or so songs are killer thrash, on the noisy side, but tight at the same time. Hope they do vinyl.
It’s been an eternity since I’ve heard from these Ohio mongrels, and they haven’t gotten any nicer. Biting critiques masked as sarcasm, all delivered with a relentless noise punk fury. Guitars tortured more than distorted, drums like a hellish thunder, and multiple vocals that spend more time in conflict than in harmony. This is the leather clad raw pÁ¸nk that dominated the blogosphere airwaves and basements ten years ago, but NUKKEHAMMER still offer their wares with isolated originality and a learned intensity. And I still love this shit.
Claiming influences that “range from BUZZCOCKS to DIE KREUZEN to early STONES to IGGY to MINOR THREAT,” it’d be hard to really go wrong. While by no means as singularly excellent as any one of these bands, they do indeed display a blended “punk/pop/with power” that all said influences have/had, and all without being obvious imitators.
This is gritty lo-fi taken to the extreme. The thumping waves of distortion don’t let up for even a second, and as a result, the record as a whole can feel a little one-note, but on their own, these tracks tear shit up. NUMBSKULL ACTION proves that you can disregard any notion of audio fidelity and still churn out something top-notch. There are elements of garage rock, hardcore, and punk fused together all across this record, but at it’s core this is some seriously fun rock’n’roll.
I’ve always enjoyed stuff like this: tight, to-the-point thrash with basic production and snappy riffing. Although I can’t say this is remarkably original, it connects with charm, fun, and touches of songwriting quality. Very good!
A three-song demo by yet another new Finnish group. These guys play raw-sounding punk and thrash with raspy Oi-ish vocals, but certain songs (especially “Liukuhihnan Orjat”) reveal a budding imagination more advanced than their current musical abilities.
Actually, I’m not sure which is the band’s name and which is the title, but this seems to be the likely set-up. Very unmelodic, short outbursts, driven by mostly snare drum (bass and bass drum aren’t audible) and fuzzy, gnarly guitar. Mixture of speed-metal and straight thrash. Very fast stuff.
Driving mid-tempo punk with pretty snarly female vocals which bring the AVENGERS to mind. Lots of energy here and a good sense of melody.
Despite the homemade sound quality, there’s still plenty to listen to here. Their ominous overtones permeate fast-paced guitar/noise raves and slower/experimental/industrial dirges, making for an eerie but non-cliché horrific mood. Much potential, as long as they maintain their edge.
This tape is the third in a series of lockdown collaborations organized by NERVOUS TICK, featuring good-time garage rock group OBSOLETISM this time around. There have been a lot of pandemic-era records born out of lockdown, most bringing the dark sounds of isolation to the forefront of their sound. This tape, on the other hand, strives for a brand of punk that makes you feel upbeat. Much like the RAMONES, these tracks are anthemic. Pounding with three-chord bliss, this cassette really ends up being a great way to spend the afternoon.
This thrasher contains some great songs, good hooks, cool harmonies, and excellent lyrics. In many ways, they remind me of 7 SECONDS, which is nothing but a compliment. Give ’em a listen.
This full-length is the perfect balance of post-punk and post-hardcore. Angular guitar work that sounds like it could easily be from a WIRE recording, combined with the song structures of FUGAZI. Elements of shoegaze and jazz filter through occasionally, allowing for shifts in tempo and weight. “Demonize” drifts from angst-driven post-hardcore to gloomy post-punk and back again in short order. It’s these interesting and imperceptibly smooth shifts that make this album worth listening to—a song evolves in the time of a single snare hit.
An awesome Austin band that includes ex-MDC bassist Mike. Their music reflects that to a certain degree, but there is also a classical thrash/punk feel to this tape, not unlike MINOR THREAT and 7 SECONDS. It’s much faster than their earlier single, so watch for new vinyl this summer.
This is some prime ’90s (the new ’70s) CT lo-fi trash dug up from the muck. They had another song from their legit first release included on a foggy-lensed, look-back ’90s comp, thus the new interest. I could totally see them on a bill with the SPITES or BASEBALL FURIES. “Percocet” is charming as hell, but a recorded “Sex Bomb” cover is unnecessary. Definitely worth a spin.
Finnish trio of punk veterans playing hardcore punk in a vicious fashion. Fuck Off! is their second album, and it is a great mantra to have in current times. This self-released, limited edition cassette has seven hard-hitting songs of good old hardcore punk with an emphasis on vocal delivery, which brings an anthemic quality to the music. All songs are really catchy, and if you are looking for that, this is where to start.
Raw-charged Finnish hardcore punk rock adventure—punk veterans getting into hardcore punk realms and singing in English, excepting one song. Songs verse on WWIII, contemporaneous systemic obedience, the spread of global terror, disconformity, and the Eurocentric consumption of underdeveloped economies, reminding me of the blunt lyricism and sarcasm of the DEAD KENNEDYS. They seem heavily influenced by mid-’80s punk rock, merging D-beat with classic punk cuts and cadences in line with the venerated UK82 sound. Seems they were having fun recording this.
Strongly political (see interview this issue), OI POLLOI are a punks/skins unity band that pound out medium- to fast-paced punk that’s heavily bass-oriented, has lots of great screaming, and some nasty guitar noise. Uncompromising.
Very powerful, drunken punk and thrash extremely similar to POISON IDEA. Heavy on the drive and power. Good job, dudes.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, this Portland punk trio evidence a definite WIPERS influence, though that influence seems to be filtered through the same modern hardcore lens that bands like MASSHYSTERI and NO HOPE FOR THE KIDS applied. Most of these songs are driven by rock-solid basslines, sub-jangly guitars, and pissed vocals delivering bleak lyrics, with the early TRAGEDY-ish “Sword of Justice” standing out for its decidedly more hardcore approach. Very good modern hardcore punk with significant songwriting range and a distinct personality. This record was originally released on cassette in 2013, and I’m curious to see how the band had progressed in the last six years.
Oh shit! Hardcore dudes who figured out how to blast out an entire death metal song in less than a minute and it isn’t some bunk-ass chug fest? Now that’s what I’m talking about! This band out of New York City is crushing the old school death metal resurgence happening now and doing it for the punks. It’s all about hardcore attitude and sensibilities, mixed with rapid-fire picking, double bass drum madness, and massive guitar squeals. This is almost like a modern day ASSÜCK, and I do not make that comparison lightly. Listen to this now!
Experimental and/or improvisational free jazz (?) steeped in punk ethos and sonics. A vast expanse of sound, feedback and electronics shrouding erratic drums while guitar and wind trade compete for melodies. The middle of “Jonah” approaches PAINKILLER-level heaviness and ominousity before departing on another leg of their journey through sound—a journey that ends with a raucous, almost six-minute stomp titled “Funeral Rite.” That track (and the release) descends more than it ends, a surprisingly gentle landing that reminds you just how far off the ground OOLOI took you.
OK. Let me start off by addressing this one thing: if you are in a ska punk band, perhaps you should reconsider naming your band “Operation” anything, let alone “Operation I-word.” I mean c’mon, really? Now that that’s out of the way…OPERATION IBIS offers up five songs of, as I mentioned, ska punk. Listening to this, three bands immediately come to mind for me: LESS THAN JAKE sans horns, a less crusty LEFTÖVER CRACK, and SNUFF. I’m not a huge fan of this type of thing, but I don’t mind this too much. It’s got that peppy energetic feeling you’d expect, but for some reason it’s not as annoying as I usually find this stuff. I suspect it’s the lack of horns. I don’t really understand this newest ska revival, but for the people that like this sort of thing, it’s something I think they’ll eat up.
Wow! Hard-ass punk and thrash with unique twists and turns thrown in. Lyrics cover this crazy fucked up stuff. Check this puppy out.
Weird. These are lyrically “sensitive” songs about animal torture or human ignorance, and then a “skinheads rule” song. Perhaps it’s a satire of that mentality, but if not, this Oi/thrash band is quite schizophrenic.
High energy pop-punk that is a little more along the lines of Epitaph or No Idea Records than punks who lived through it the first time might be comfortable with. But that’s kind of the point. Everyone in the band is under 21. It makes sense for them to be writing super-fast, super-melodic, super-angry and idealistic songs, and they are kicking ass at doing that. The melodic riffs and gruff vocal style remind me of BAD RELIGION and JAWBREAKER. There’s also a bouncy vibe that could have as much to do with Oi! influences as it could be taking a cue from early GREEN DAY and RANCID.
An intriguing taped rendition of hardcore Á la The Sydney Method, a particularly baleful approach to the sound which eschews chest-beating for hair-grabbing or just lobbing a beer bottle through a flock of Ibis. Members are commandeered from all corners: post-punk pontificators like TIM AND THE BOYS and the bad-tempered moshers of ILL BRIGADE. This is testament to the freeflow inspo approach that’s pleasingly particular to that city. OBSO brings it on deranged and loose, ritalin tremors regulating a credible urge to snap. There’s hateful intensity in this jagged guitar sound that keeps things panicky. Rattling cymbals pitch across open planes of loose menace, barely holding back until the final track where any overtures to good manners are wholesale abandoned in favour of a good old therapeutic roll-around-on-the-floor in the demilitarized zone between NO TREND and COLD SWEAT. More please.
Weird production and vocal effects add a mysterious feel to this otherwise straightforward hardcore release. If they hadn’t added the distortion, it’d be pretty generic.
You can hear garage, pre-’77 types of punk, SoCal thrash, etc. in this band. I’m not too partial to the singing, though he does have some distinctiveness. Covers of “New Race” and “Can’t Explain,” too.
A five-song demo of this young band’s crisp thrash style. OUT OF ORDER have both DC inflections and LA influences, and they play well, but without any special enthusiasm or uniqueness. Still, I expect that by the time they get vinyl out, they’ll have developed their particular peculiarities, so watch for them.
Very fast, tuneless ultra thrash like the first DRI LP. The slow parts are catchy, the thrash stuff is pointless. Sure, it’s really fast, but so is a blender.
OUTERWEAR mainly presents slower, metallish thrash with lyrics that strain to cover the irrelevant. It looks as if these stimulus-starved Ohioans did too much LSD. Over the course of 24 songs, they scream and slither their way into the sicker corners of your heart. Outta sight.
Totally! Great bass-drums-guitar-vocals. This is one time that I’ll use the term “shreds,” because it says it all. As they say on the lyric sheet, “Play loud in math class.”
OUTRAGE plays medium-tempo punk with quite a bit of punch. Their strong vocal and guitar work is highlighted by the powerful production here, so watch for them.
Not a thrash album, but a good old-fashioned punk LP. Holland’s OUTRAGEOUS displays a fast, heavy, two-guitar punk attack with strong hooks on most of this record, but they also play occasional poppish ditties (like “Beziers”), rockabilly thangs (“British Bikes”), or thrashers (“Say Cheese”) to mix up the stew and keep things interesting. I found myself happily singing along with many of these tunes, which is as good a recommendation as most.
Punk with rock influences, usually pretty up-tempo, a bit oversung, with lyrics in English. Decent words.
Some raunchy ’60s-type garage punk in the STANDELLS mold. I really love this fuzzed-out music; it’s too bad the lyrics can’t be updated to the ’80s, though. Still, it’s boss.
On their wild cassette Captured Alive, OVERGROWN THRONE from North Carolina plays raw D-beat with themes of class war, shitty cops, and hating I.C.E.—basically all of the things I want my crust punk to be about. What’s so wild about that? You’ve gotta hear the vocals on this thing. I’m not sure if it’s three or four people sharing vocal duties or one person who’s possessed, but there are multiple styles of singing throughout and it’s truly unique. While I don’t always love each style, I’ve gotta give credit for the creativity and outlandishness on some of these songs, something that sets OVERGROWN THRONE apart from the crowd. Check out “Couchsurfer” and “Victim of My Own Prescription.”
Anthemic, leather-clad punk from Southern California, half beach / half gutter varietals represented. The songs are uniformly catchy with a vague hard stance, recalling shite like BELTONES or other pop-tinged semi-toughies. “Offended By Everything” seems pretty indicative of 2019’s lyrical laziness: complaining about other people complaining. Surely there’s something more interesting to tie your creepers in a knot about…
Thrash, jazz, and funk up the butt, dude. A total crackup, right down to them saying Oi stands for Oppressed Intelligence. Too funny for words.
Humorous themes abound on this one, a slab with the fast/slow. HC approach and vocals reminiscent of the CRUCIFUCKS. Basically raw and okay, but the ultra-fast version of the CURE’s “Killing an Arab” is priceless.
Yeah! Imagine early 7 SECONDS with a slight metallic tinge, add some well-thought-out positive and political words, and you got these guys: one fucking hot band!!
Cleanly produced garage punk which occasionally ventures into surf, funk, etc. Lyrics seem to be quite sarcastic. A fun tape.
A dozen tunes of that forceful SoCal sound. A good mixture of thrash and melodic punk with angry vocals. Hot release.
Highly politicized and non-cliché lyrics are driven home by slightly funk-tinged punk. Their sound reminds me a bit of the PROLETARIAT with less melody and more of continuous medium-fast-paced rhythm (driving bass really stands out). Committed, and a band to watch for.
Stompy hardcore that takes a page or two from the book of GAG when it comes to worshipping underrated ’80s USHC bands. Groove dominates each song and every part is a mosh part, with curveball time changes and slamming skank beats. Not much else to say about this release, just hardcore music for hardcore people. A no-brainer!
I can’t help but think that this is what Rod Stewart would have sounded like had he gone thrash. I’m referring specifically here to Will’s high, cracking vocal delivery. He combines with Phil and Dave from SIN 34 to produce some quirky, unusual modern thrash.
Rust Belt split cassette between PAL from Cleveland, OH and FRIZBEE from Indianapolis, IN. Let’s start with PAL. We already know ‘em, we already love ‘em. Kooky, artsy, hilariously insightful, heavy on the synth, and catchy as all hell. Their first cassette made my 2023 year-end top ten list, and their side of this release might be even better. Two originals and a cover of “96 Tears” by ? AND THE MYSTERIANS, and all three songs are absolutely killer. Moving on to FRIZBEE. Another three songs on their side of the split, also two originals and a cover, the cover being “I’m a Bug” by the URINALS. As far as I can tell, this is the first release for FRIZBEE and it’s a pretty cool start, tho after listening to the PAL side, FRIZBEE kind of comes off like a less kooky, less witty version of PAL. The inevitable issue with splits—the sides will be compared and there will always be a preferred side. In this case, advantage PAL, whereas on their own, a FRIZBEE demo would likely seem all the cooler with nobody else snagging all the accolades.
PANDEMIX have been doing the dang thing for the better part of a decade, and they’re always a heavy-hitting live band each time I have seen them. Oddly enough, they were the last band I booked a show for mere days before the COVID pandemic kicked in, as well as the first band I booked a show for once it started feeling safe enough to do so after that. With multiple records and cassettes under their belt already, the band’s newest release is a four-song cassette which they had for sale on their most recent tour. Mostly continuing the band’s ongoing mixture of hardcore punk blended with peace punk, this cassette features one piano/fiddle/trombone/vocals ballad to close it out. A little out of place for my tastes, but it seems like it would be enjoyed by the folk punk/AGAINST ME! aficionados.
If nothing else, 2020 is surely going to be the year of the solo recording projects. I mean, it’s not like I’m going to shows, so I’m also not complaining. PANIC BODIES are snappy garage punk, little hints of classic punk melody (remember how OBSERVERS dropped the hooks in but still sounded punk as shit? Yeah…like that), super bright and guitar-driven power punk. Choice cut “After Hours” starts to veer into hard and steady dark punk territory, which I fully endorse. Sounds timeless…because, well, I suppose many of us have the time these days.
Midnight had this French release listed as “thrash” in their catalog, but in fact PANIK falls into the mid-tempo skunk category. Although they have blasting guitars, an excellent singer, and some driving songs, they have a more experimental bent and concentrate less on the “cast of thousand” background vocals than other skunk outfits. There’s even a reverse mystery track at the end of side A for psychedelia’s sake.
PAPAS is a four-piece out of Boise, so I can’t tell if their name is supposed to mean “dads” or “potatoes.” Similarly, I can’t tell if the title of this cassette is supposed to be twee as hell or if they’re going for a potato-themed, late-aughts party punk vibe. The music across these three tracks kinda splits that difference, so maybe all the ambiguity is by design. The opening track “I Ain’t Gonna Do it Your Way No More” is a cover of mid-’90s Dutch garage punk band the PERVERTS. It’s a ‘60s-style scorcher, complete with 2,000-lb bee fuzz and a production that sounds like the master was left out in the sun for a week. I love it! I’m less keen on the other tracks though, which sound like some garage-pop slop plucked straight outta 2009. “I Wanna Be Your Baby” with its woozy JOHN WESLEY COLEMAN-esque Southern swagger is probably the stronger of the two. Neither suck, to be clear! It’s just a sound I feel like we’d collectively moved past and I wasn’t particularly eager to revisit. Anyway, definitely give the opener a listen, and you might as well give the other two a shot while you’re at it, particularly if you’ve got a Sailor Jerry-style hot dog tattoo.
PARASITE’s new LP consists of eight tracks of epic, canonical raw punk. Melodic parts aren’t as death metal-sounding as the typical melodic crust bands, but have this particular kind of eerie atmosphere to them. Punch-in-the-gut hammering drums with driving guitar and bass tracks that sound extremely similar to Victims of a Bombraid-style raw punk. Seemingly cookie-cutter, but a unique approach to the melodic side of this genre.
Full-on, straightforward power chord punk very similar to the RAMONES, who seem to be a big influence. Catchy and driving stuff, so pinheads (and Steve Spinali) should take note. [I did. It’s on my Top 15 — Ed.]
Great tape! Some of it is slow, painful FLIPPER-ish noise, and the rest is manic. There’s a helluva lot of feedback, whether droning or thrashing, and the vocals are cool. And how can you hate a band that loves to bowl?
This band with their off-tune brand of brisk, almost catchy punk, shows the touch of ERIC HYSTERIC in the demented, almost drunken production. Has an aggressive spirit, some personality and very little else.
Lo-fi indie pop and/or region rock, or perhaps this is like the PROMISE RING if they got signed by Plan-It-X in 1998. Plus there are layers of whoa-ohs and lots of guitar leads, but the recording kinda makes it all just sound like a mess. I’m still listening here, and with all due respect to the artist/s, I promise that I’m trying. But the truth is that PASHA & THE KINDRED SPIRITS are a swooning turd delivered with marginally out-of-tune pretension. If you want to hear the sound of a jilted lover that just won’t go away, then this is your jam…I find myself wondering if I know anyone in this band and am gonna feel bad about this review (edit: just listened again, and it’s very honest).
NYC quintet giving it the DIY try. A-side is the Their Screens EP, while the B-side is five unreleased songs that were recorded in the same session. Think of a lo-fi version of PARQUET COURTS with their emotional lyrics, or even MODEST MOUSE’s groaning, tortured guitar riffs. This also has that early-aughts indie rock sound (without the polish), if you’re looking to reminisce in real time. The energy is there, if this is your thing.
I’m guessing this quartet are Scandinavian, given the umlauts in both their name and the name of this record. And in what I take to be the thanks list, and many other “ä”s that are dotted about the text! What you do get, however is a lengthy (the opening and closing tracks each clock in at over eight minutes) driving, prog-rock-tinged punk. It reminds me a lot of late-’80s German bands (perhaps ’cos they both sung in their native tongue) RAZZIA and EA80, though HAWKWIND would be another good musical reference. Given that I like the output of all three aforementioned combos, I mean this entirely as a compliment.
This new political punk band from Southern California is sort of like a cross between MDC and the HATED. Perceptive lyrics and primitive production add strength to these gruff thrash and punk ditties, but they could use a bit more originality. Still, these are the kind of patriots we need more of.
This one is a couple of years old at this point, but damn if both bands don’t still hit with maximum force. Six bursts of filthy, old school grind/PV from Dallas veterans PAVEL CHEKOV, backed with Oklahoma’s CRUTCH delivering some of their most powerful (and brutal) lightspeed hardcore punk tracks. Each band approaches the game a little differently, each arriving at a four-way intersection of hardcore, fastcore, powerviolence, and grind…then deciding to roll blindly into each other. There’s still copies of this floating around, I would recommend you not snooze.
Pretty decent older, fuzzed-out English-style punk in the slow- to mid-tempo vein. Good production, especially on the guitar and vocals. Basic but substantial.
Grungy rockin’ punk backed with vocals much like the late Darby Crash. Catchy tunes with personal lyrics dealing with religion, morality, and politics make this worth a try.
Here’s some solid garage punk with realistic lyrics covering starvation, war, the underprivileged, etc. Comes with a lyrics book with effective graphics. Great job (not the band from Pomona!)
Hot metallic thrash with mostly gloomy lyrical themes. The vocals get a bit muffled at times, but tunes like “No Future” deserve to be heard.
From a quiet and dreamy shoegazing intro to a solid, chunky, four-on-the-floor guitar-heavy slog…and that’s just the teaser track. Throw adolescent(s) vocal delivery in the mix and this Arkansas trio delivers an exceptionally mature debut with Disqko—a scant four tracks (plus the aforementioned intro) from a band who are relying on songwriting instead of blind riffing; the power is in the presentation instead of the tonnage. Sounds rooted in ’90s alt (which this undoubtedly is) are definitely not typically my “thing,” but good is good. PEACH BLUSH lingers, PEACH BLUSH focuses, and they are damn good at it.
These here PEASANTS remind me somewhat of a more metallish version of DIE KREUZEN, with scratched-to-hell vocals and a fairly musical back-up. But the chunky rhythm detracts from their overall power.
You’ll be hearing more from these guys on vinyl soon (a couple comps and perhaps their own release), but for now you’ll have to settle for this raging seven-song demo, a slightly more metalish version of DIE KREUZEN. Good start.
Soaring thrash with some tinges of innovation. Plenty of power, personal words, and comes with a mini-booklet. Good.
Second release from the New York four-piece PENNY. Members Jordan and Liz came from FLEASPOON, and brought some songs from that to their 2019 LP, but here we find four new originals and a cover of HEAVENLY’s “P.U.N.K. Girl.” Loud and fast with barely comprehensible vocals; music to keep you frenzied and jittering. A feat only possible on a self-released tape, each copy comes with a pre-chewed piece of gum stuck between the shell and the jacket, with a “Certificate of Authenticity telling you who chewed your piece and what flavor it was!” While this is a little fanfare-y, I find it endearing and clever. There’s nothing groundbreaking on this lo-fi garage-stomper tape, but at the same time, it hits all the marks and does not disappoint.
I believe this comes under the general heading of “generic thrash”—well done, fast-as-hell, pissed political lyrics, and as of yet an “undistinctive” style. Give ’em time, though, because they’ve got all the ingredients except the time to grow.
The recording is pretty rough, but that won’t stop you from enjoying this. Intelligent lyrics are propelled by tough and loud thrash. Noisy but controlled, with plenty of energy and determination. Good start.
I had no idea what to expect going into this release. The cover’s aesthetic suggested something somber and self-serious—maybe metal, or worse, metalcore—and the cassette title, which translates to “rejection,” gave me a very late ’90s vibe, really increasing my concern that this was going to be metalcore. On the other hand, “Plague Dogs,” the English translation of their name, gives off more of a shit-kickin’, V-flickin’ street punk vibe. Turns out neither impression was accurate. Not exactly, at least. This trio from Zapopan (a large city on the edge of the even larger Guadalajara), plays something in between melodic hardcore and post-hardcore, and this ten-song cassette appears to be their official debut. The music isn’t a million miles away from early HOT WATER MUSIC or LEATHERFACE—you know, stuff that’s not quite hardcore, not quite pop punk, but definitely bobbing in the wake of DC’s Revolution Summer. These songs are lower-fi than either of those acts, giving the recording a punker sheen, and, while it would be a stretch to say this is street punk, you’re getting that same sort of energy from the tuneless gang vocal shout-alongs. It’s not bad, and it’s a pleasant enough listen. But, aside from a few head-scratching detours they take in the opening track—some weird ANIMAL COLLECTIVE coos and space rock guitar flourishes—there isn’t a whole lot here that really makes the release stand out.
Pure and simple: this Buffalo band cranks out infectious and addictive music. There are worlds where people will call it indie, post-punk, college rock…but goddamn if it doesn’t just hit exactly right regardless of genre descriptor. Vocals are kinda like the first INTERPOL record (that’s a good thing, fight me), their approach is chill and confident at all times, and the guitars just burn the whole time, even when (especially when) they are delivering hooks that will stick with you for days. And then they drop the bridge in “Brain Flu” and it’s clear that these fellows are well versed in American Hardcore Classics and I’m like “yeah, I get it…y’all are just really good.” I can leave the schmaltzier cuts like “Bubble Yum” behind, but I can’t deny that they are absolutely on point. This tape came out last year, there’s a single that they dropped a few months ago (I peeked—read the lyrics—trust me), and all I’m waiting for is a full-length platter to spin on repeat for days.
Two solid anthemic rock tracks out of this Buffalo, NY trio. Self- and socially reflective while still insightful and angry. Playing like a ’90s version of STIFF LITTLE FINGERS with some synth and current culture angst thrown in.
Three-piece from Buffalo, NY with what seems like their second release? Although I didn’t find much on the band, I get a very jam-econo/MINUTEMEN thing from “False Memories,” with sparsity and intention throughout. The live take from Duende at Silo City, on YouTube, is rough and full of feeling—I wish they’d gone for that sound on this recording. “Heartbeat Memorial” caught me by surprise based on the A-side, starting with a wall of distortion and a faster tempo that doesn’t see any rests, along with a more melodic structure. All that said, I thought I was headed for a synth-wave band based on the cover art, so color me confused.
One song from each band here. CHIMES OF BAYONETS have a sound reminiscent of something like a harder-edged Midwestern “emo” band, perhaps. PERSONAL STYLE’s contribution sounds like a mix of ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT without the horns and SUPERCHUNK, but like…tougher. Both bands have their moments here that have me on the fence of wanting to hear a bit more, but ultimately those moments aren’t enough to get me off of that fence. Perhaps if there were one more song from each band on this release I could have been swayed, but unfortunately this was not the case.
Lo-fi garage psych from Long Beach, California. Musically, this is in the vein of BLACK ANGELS on the top side, with the flip, “White Strawberries,” being a more uptempo, straightforward garage affair. Both songs are hampered by a lackluster vocal delivery, where the vocalist tends to sing the riff. Coupled with a fairly obnoxious megaphone-sounding treatment, the songs are relegated to mediocrity at best. There’s a reason that most neo-psych bands drench their vocals in reverb and delay. If nothing else, this release makes a strong case for doing so.
I absolutely love this. As self-described “No School Hardcore Crust,” PERVITIN is flooring my face off right now with dual-vocal, echoing death-chamber earslaughter. Anywhere between Phonophobia/Peel Sessions ENT or the FILTHKICK split, DISRUPT, ACCION MUTANTE, DEATH TOLL 80K, CETACEAN, INSTINCT OF SURVIVAL, DISASSOCIATE, SARCASM, NIGHTMARE FUEL, DEVASTATION, SOB, COP ON FIRE…this is obliterating 1000% crust. A five-piece from Tampere, this is a much heavier offering I’m being pummeled by at the moment than was expected. Refreshing as hell, too. All the song titles are in Finnish, and you get ten of em! Non-stop crust onslaught from start to finish, how else should I even put this?? Just what you want if you dig this sound. Nothing too fancy, yet the lunacy of some vocals and the unison of others is very on-their-game in this day and age. Many bands want to sound this obliterating and manic. PERVITIN stands out. Very stoked by the introduction! Insane hardcore crust. Get this miserable little tape while you can.
Hardcore punk from Brooklyn, NY. Each of the five songs go between blisteringly fast to the slowest of punk dirges. While having such a formula makes the songs a bit predictable, the passion shows with a band like PEST. It is on the slower parts, however, that the cool guitar work really shines through. There are some unexpectedly catchy licks hidden in these angry songs. The vocals on this demo are especially pissed, and I was not surprised to find that the vocalist is Katie from South Carolina’s now defunct GLITTORIS, who were an incredibly powerful live band. This tape was dubbed pretty poorly, but listening to the digital tracks, the recording itself sounds great. I expect and truly hope to see more from this band.
A Lamplighter live set is always a good seal of quality for a band, and this one doesn’t disappoint. PET MOSQUITO is loud and brash, presented here at their loudest and brashest— channeling the DICKS and maybe a little HANK WOOD. If that sounds like a lot of snot ‘n’ swagger, then I’m doing my job. It’s still its own thing though, especially when you throw that beautiful sax in the mix. I’m done arguing with people on this matter—more brass and woodwinds in rock’n’roll and punk. It adds an immediate dankness to any rock song, and this band certainly puts that to good use. Definitely don’t sleep on this release if you’re looking to blow out your speakers with excellent snarling punk rock.
Jangling pop-punk, which is a little on the “smooth” side—acoustic guitars, etc. Not bad, but could use a bit more grit and grind.
Three heavily jazz-influenced hardcore raves. Usually, I find jazz detracts from the impact of HC, but in this case, as with some of the MINUTEMEN’s material, it enhances.
Six new songs by what should be considered the MINUTEMEN of New York. Definitely influenced but well-meaning and some good songs, too. Includes a couple instrumentals that also hold their own. Worthwhile.
This Fort Worth, TX band plays some beefy ’80s style US hardcore with hooks galore, sort of like the OFFENDERS, LOCKJAW and CONDEMNED TO DEATH. They could easily share a bill with the current versions of FANG or POISON IDEA. Songs ranging in subject matter from socio-political commentary to not paying for a shitty haircut. “Wasted Time” is the winner for me here. Sweet and sticky coated in hairy bits. A nice first effort. Keep it up.
Stripped-down, discordant, gnarly noise punk with screamed vocals. The tunes on this tape are not quite as disgusting as its cover art, but almost! Nothing subtle or melodic here. PIGMILK blazes through seven tracks faster than an electrical fire in a slaughterhouse, with nary ‘a one cracking the two-minute mark. Most songs are uptempo and brisk, but don’t be shocked by the occasional breakdown or off-kilter interlude. There’s something slightly left-of-center lurking beneath the surface, gurgling up in the angularity of shrill guitars and subverted harmonies. This is evident in “I Tried,” which is the most overt nod to emotional hardcore. “Know Thyself” reels that impulse in and delivers a no-frills ripper. Good stuff. Analogous with life, this demo is brutal and over before ya know it.
This is hardcore, in case the cover art would put you off, although PIÑÉN most likely would not give a flying fuck if you skipped them for such a reason. Hopefully you already knew, since they have been around for ten years and have consistently released incredibly raw and genuine, super fast, vicious hardcore records, performed as a drums/guitar duo without bass, with a subversive message that also makes a lot of sense. Their interview in the last print issue of MRR detailed strict and liberating ideas of DIY punk, focusing on creating something on your own that represents you and your surroundings. They even questioned the point of putting out vinyl if you are not participating in the production. I am happy they changed their mind, but it’s still as DIY as it gets—the physical copies are partly hand-painted by the members, and the cover is probably drawn by them as well. Touch the dried paint and think for a second how such objects in general are manufactured in far-away factories and shipped across the globe via distributors and labels without having any connection with the band. In a way, PIÑÉN reclaims such small gestures that could mean a lot if you pay attention, which is required since they only care to create amazing music and live by their own rules, instead of aiming for artificial popularity. This carefree, solitary game emancipates them, making all their releases special even if they draw influences from early international hardcore bands with sounds reminiscent of the early records of H.H.H. and ANTI-DOGMATIX: constant blasting, thoughtful chaos and anger at high pace. A sound that could be easily redundant, but the quality and shortness of their songs, along with the microdosing of their whole discography keeps me wanting more, even if their records tend to take over my turntable for days. This time, the overall sound is harsher, which makes the record even better. Each hit on the cymbals is shards blasting into your ear, each riff is super tight, hectic, and creative, and those pissed-off vocals push all rightful frustration into my brain. The cover art, EP title, and start and ending tracks all reference Nicolasa Quintremán, a Chilean Pehuenche activist who opposed the construction of Endesa’s Ralco Hydroelectric Plant. Eventually, she was found dead, most likely murdered. She died because she wanted to protect her land. Localism and protecting what is important to you in your surroundings seems to also be important for PIÑÉN, and while playing hardcore/punk is not a matter of life and death, for them it seems to be a channel to release frustration and their message—we should feel lucky that they keep creating such great music. This record is amazing, and long live PIÑÉN.
At their height, this Buffalo, NY recording project reminds me of the atonal spacious presentation of ARMIA’s Legenda, while most of the time it’s some feisty bedroom four-track punk with goooood riffs (“Above It All”) and some questionable vocals (also “Above It All,” unfortunately) that sound like they are going for 82 DC on a recording that is light years from ’82 DC in almost every way. If nothing else, PINK GUITARS keep me listening so I can try to find a way to describe what I’m listening to…this is something, you see.
Not to be confused with the excellent Portland band, these Gainesvillers play speedy tongue-in-cheek punk in the style of the LUNACHICKS or BUTT TRUMPET. Maybe I’m tripping on that, but from their pics, they definitely know how to play dress-up and put on a show. Songs ranging in topic from indiscriminate sexual liaisons to gentrification to getting hassled by the man. Not overly politically correct but not dumb as nails either. Play it for your kids.
The foursome PISS TEST takes shit from no one and deserves your attention. At first, I was put off by the “cartoon cop squinting at a urine sample” logo from their first EP 7 Songs 7 Inches, thinking they were some half-baked teen project, but then the opener here, “Don’t Care,” barged in with buzzsaw guitars, pummeling drums, and frontwoman Debra Fetzer’s throat-punching vocals syncopating “I don’t care what say about me / Honey, I don’t care what you think about me,” and I was left with a much, much different impression. Here lies a project steeped in Fetzer’s years in the industry, distilled to a biting yet warming liquor. She got her start in Gainesville in 1983 with the band MUTLEY CHIX, performed for seven years, fronted other bands through the ’90s, and worked on booking shows and promoting the music scene through the Hardback Café. It was at the Hardback during COVID lockdowns that PISS TEST formed and used the empty venue as a practice space. There’s a great write-up about Fetzer in The Independent Florida Alligator, if you’d like to learn more. It’s not often you see a band of this caliber fronted by a 60-year-old, but unfettered by an instrument, she throws high-kicks like she’s fighting for her life (and clearly winning), while telling it like it is with tongue-in-cheek: “I’m a she-devil / An old bag / In it all, I revel!” from “Battleaxe.” Don’t Care marks the second release from this Gainesville based-band.
Decent melodic punk a la ’78-’79 vocals way out front with good back-up singing, okay power, simple beat (through variable) and good lyrics. Fancy bass playing at times.
Thirteen mayhem raging tunes surface from the basement of this West German band. Vicious stop-and-go thrash compounded with several mid-tempo speed changeovers. The harsh bash/smash parts have a hard time keeping time, but the more melodic parts are quite enjoyable.
These demo recordings offer an exciting look at a new mixtape from American rapper PITBULL! The “Dale” attitude is there but he cranks up the BPM and energy expressing some frustration that I think we can all relate to after such a hard (insert number of years you’ve been alive) years. PITBULL does stray a bit from his Reggaeton roots but finds inspiration in the likes of INFEST and YDI. Club music typically doesn’t make me want to beat the shit out of someone but this is a real vibe! Can’t wait for the PITBULL/Youth Attack collaborative sunglasses and skinhead cap. Personally, I’d prefer human growling over actual dog noises, thanks. Kill yourself to it!
Not to be confused with the NY band of recent vinyl, this band’s 7″ comes in a 10″ sleeve. And now…wow! This is a hot-shit rager, sort of along the lines of CAPITOL PUNISHMENT. Highly recommended!
PLAIN WRAP plays tight, trebly, frantic thrash and punk with melodies. They remind me a little of the DK’s, both musically and in the narratives, which sometimes are more like tales. An excellent beginning, so look out for them.
Another very hot tape from this fine SoCal band. Intelligent lyrics and blazingly fast thrash that’s tight, cleanly recorded, and filled with good hooks and some neat vocal work. Some of these songs are new, while others are re-done versions of material from their earlier cassette. These guys should put out a record as soon as possible.
Seems like I’ve heard more and more new bands lately that are borrowing heavily from the early ’70s proto-punks like the STOOGES, HEARTBREAKERS, etc. This band is in that vein, although other less appealing aspects of ’70s rock creep in, too. Overall, a nice nostalgic departure.
Kinda folk rock meets minimalist meets mid-’70s singer/songwriter twisted balladeer. Definite VELVETS influence, and some good rockers.
PLAVA LAGUNA delivers an impressively fully-realized goth electronic sound, reminiscent of SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES but with plenty of updates. It’s unusual to see a group in this format get everything this right, but PLAVA LAGUNA totally nails it. The moody electronic compositions, velvety and ethereal vocals, pacing, and mix are all seamless. This band sounds like they could be headlining goth festivals and I was just the last person to hear about them.
PLEASURE LEFTISTS here grace listeners with a remastered re-release of their first two 12″ EPs, originally released in 2011 and 2013. Their earlier releases, including the original vinyl EPs and a tape with nine of the same tracks released by Feral Kid Records in 2013, aren’t exactly accessible (although the nine tracks on Feral Kid tape are available online) so this is a great chance for completists to perfect their collection, for fans in general to finally get those original tracks that were left of the Feral Kid tape, and for everyone to hear a noticeably better production quality. These early recordings show the band’s progression from their origins taking cues from SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES and referencing RUDIMENTARY PENI toward a more tempered post-punk sound with dreamy tangents bordering on shoegaze. Continuous threads of instrumental precision and dramatic vocal performance tie the band’s sound together throughout their releases spanning eight years. The remastering adds a velvety feel to the generous applications of reverb on these two earliest recordings, which showcase the depth of singer Haley’s raw vocal power.
High energy here, with a slightly metallic HC flavor, not unlike RAW POWER. Nine songs, “positive” lyrics, and intense music add up to an impressive release.
Good old punk with rebellious lyrics kinda like TOXIC REASONS. While this seems rather basic, PLEDGE OF RESISTANCE have a good bit of rockin’ energy.
Without question my favorite tape I was sent this month for review. Wow. PLEXI is relentless hardcore punk. Fast and pissed, heavy pit-worthy breakdowns, raspy/strained vocals that sound instantly familiar without feeling like they’re ripping something off. The intensity and forceful delivery of the vocals very much remind me of how Barb used to sing in I OBJECT. Eleven songs of unapologetically ripping hardcore punk. With no contact info and seemingly no internet presence, I am not sure how to suggest you track down a copy of this, but do yourself a favor and try.
For such a young thrash band, POIKKEUSTILA are pretty good. The guitar work is hot, as is the singing—those Finns have some of the most ragged voices—but the drumming lags behind a bit. If they get that hurdle cleared, they’ll be excellent.
Ferocious like MINOR THREAT or SS DECONTROL, only they come from “mellow” Oregon. Can’t wait for some vinyl.
A new East Bay band, including ex-INTENSIFIED CHAOS person Brad, Jake, and Jake’s mom on guitar. This is real good bone-crushing hardcore with a British feel. I’m looking forward to seeing them live.
Slower-paced, sparse, and more post-punk than punk, the music performed by this band is very foreboding. It’s often punctuated by longish guitar solos, but they aren’t annoying or egotistical, and actually add to the effect. The lyrics, while superficially offering nothing but a bleak view of the future, are certainly intelligent, and ultimately do encourage resistance to the 1984 horror show.
Quite a good six-song demo, they bring home important topics and intelligent perspectives with powerful melodic punk/thrash. Hope to hear more from and about this young band who, though a bit CLASH-like, aren’t too much so.
While not as eccentric as, say, the CRUCIFUCKS, there is an intelligence at work here that combines great lyrics with a Doc Dart-type vocalist and good garage punk music. Hope they keep working at it.
Disjointed metallic HC which sounds BLACK FLAG-influenced. Four tunes, all powerful and twisted. Good stuff.
I thought I was in for more indie rock when the guitar intro started, instead I got distorted melodies and in-the-red youth frustration. POSITIVE CITIZEN sounds like a dozen bands I played with in the late ’90s: punk and raw and pissed and determined, but determined to write catchy as fuck punk songs instead of determined to level the place with volume or riffs or whatever. Just doing the damn thing and doing it with heart. These bands can tip the scale either way, but this one is a winner.
A rather ironic name for this band, as most all the lyrics reflect someone desperately fighting their own growing disillusionment with the punk scene and its competition, peer pressure, etc. as it replaces the initial enthusiasm and collective struggle. Musically, it’s mostly mid-tempo thrash, with some instrumentals and touches of not unpleasant pop sensibilities thrown in. Hope, for all our sakes, that the songwriter wins his struggle.
A noisy garage tape, in terms of both recording quality and musical proficiency. As with many bands in a hurry to make their mark on the world, POST MORTEM may have released this a bit prematurely, but there’s potential in their thrashing. Keep on annoying those Birchers!
Unimaginably disgusting stoner sludge from Sweden. Imagine BONGZILLA writing “short” songs, but with a subtle Jourgensen tinge to the vocals. When the guitar breaks into the fast intro for “Meds” I start to clench up, because that’s exactly what I want to happen after a three-minute pulverization. Very dirty, very raw, extremely heavy.
You read the title…right? Read it again. If anyone thought Sweden’s POTEMKIN was finished with sludge after Sludge Vol. 1…well, that was a foolish thought. Filthy, downtuned, distorted, ugly, mean. This music is like a pool of quicksand filled with glass. Sometimes heavy bands hit a stoner groove, but these fuckers just obliterate everything in their path on a tape filled with songs the length of power pop anthems. Looking forward to the third installment.
Three years have gone by since the band’s debut release Demo 2020, and little seems to have changed. POWER OF DUSK is still super pissed, playing angry, fast hardcore punk, and they are still dead-on with their politics. To say they were left-leaning would do them a disservice. With songs like “Queer Angry & Violent,” it’s pretty easy to see where they stand on modern issues. Fuck yeah. Five songs of aggressively intense hardcore punk. Get into it!
Buzzsaw guitars and garage punk are combined with some Midwestern alienation in this Cornhusker combo. The songs herk and jerk all over the place, as do the inner-directed lyrics.
Another release from South Africa! Like their fellow citizens RIOT SQUAD, POWER AGE plays mid-tempo older-style punk rock. They have a real chunky, bass-heavy attack and snarling vocals, but the most unusual thing about them is their appearance in the land controlled by the super-secret neo-fascist Broederbond.
This tape looks incredible, which had me a little nervous since oftentimes punk’s eye for aesthetics is questionable. When I first started listening I was concerned we might be getting into artsy/scrams territory, but PRACTITIONER pleasantly surprised me by turning out to be a raging, noisy hardcore punk act that breaks into nasty dirges as often as it revs up to D-beat. From Nashville, TN, these self-proclaimed anti-fascist punks officially have my attention.
Totally raging obnoxious adolescent thrash with some pretty good lyrics, and some pretty bad ones. Lots of spirit and energy in these guys.
Short energetic bursts of ’77 punk and thrash energy with an adolescent humorous “fuck you” attitude. Song title of the month: “Mommy’s Not a Heterosexual Anymore.”
While these guys are clearly talented musicians, this record isn’t knocking my socks off. Musically, it’s a sort of mix-up of power pop and garage rock. I don’t know why, but I’m reminded of CHEAP TRICK. It’s all just a little too overdone for me. Within songs, the cadence changes and they employ that stop/start thing that can drive me crazy. The vocals seem affected, like Mark Smith of the FALL. Too much lead guitar. They can’t help it if they’re from Florida.
An eight-cut demo from still another young thrash outfit. It’s a bit generic and sloppy, as it seems to be a live recording, but remember that they’re from Bakersfield (home of MERLE HAGGARD), which is enough reason to support these lads. Actually, there are some sparks of originality—”Hey You” has a certain FEEDERZ feel—so give them time.
Five tracks of dark but high-energy punk, with songwriting that sounds like it draws some influence from melodic Scaninavian punk, and dramatic vocals a little like X. The unconventional post-punk drumming adds a lot to the sound, and catchy minor chord progressions create tension and anxiety. Includes most of what you’re likely looking for in a dark punk tape, with some cool and spooky special effects right at the end of the final track.
It’s a challenge—a fun challenge!—to keep up with every limited-run cassette release from Canada’s prolific PRINT HEAD, a.k.a. Brandon Saucier. The man put out something like six or seven of these last year, and 2022 appears to be bringing us more of the same. In Motion doesn’t deviate far from the formula of aggressively lo-fi, egg-flavored punk, but hidden (just barely) beneath all the noise and chaos are some pretty tuneful and competent songs. PRINT HEAD may be mining similar territory as other hyperactive noiseniks like SET-TOP BOX and ERIK NERVOUS, but it’s definitely worth checking out on its own—all of it!
Brief eleven-song (none of them longer than a minute) tape from this Canadian punk band. The skittery drums and intertwining trebly guitar lines in “-Theme-” had me expecting an eggy CONEHEADS-core clone, but I was pleasantly surprised at the rest of the tape. With a vocalist that sounds like David Byrne on Adderall, PRINT HEAD buries new wave-y pop gems in bursting 78 RPM capsule form. Kind of like how LIQUIDS and BOOJI BOYS do it, these songs, especially standouts like “1,000,000 Opinions” and “What I Be,” are serious hits under the fuzz and hiss. Final track “Wanna Change” has a JAY REATARD sound, all fast-strumming, pure gold vocal melody, and it’s over before you can click the replay button. I really liked this.
Melodic rock’n’roll straight out of Montreal. PRIORS’ newest release is their fourth LP in five years, which is impressive in its own right. Power pop akin to MARKED MEN, FIDLAR, or MIND SPIDERS, great use of synthesizers that pairs well with the catchy guitar licks that are laden throughout each track. Although the guitars are the most prominent here, I was really drawn in by the rhythm section—lots of great bass runs and the drums sound crisp and tight as all get-out. Solid album, although it’s a pretty standard garage rock piece. Definitely worth a spin if you’re a fan of the genre.
This one actually had me stoked to pick up a laptop and attempt to type with the rudimentary skills of an ’80s public high school student. Instinctively, I pressed the “buy me” button the minute I knew this was out and so should you, as it’s probably almost gone. Santa Ana’s rough trade crooners return after two amazing cassettes, with one even being put to vinyl. I feel blessed to have seen them tear it to shit live before leaving Cali and I hope they make it East if the world’s still here. This is the perfect balance between the sing-along tunefulness of their first tape and the harder, faster stomp of their second. I’ve heard the ADICTS and DICKIES being dragged out for old people to grasp onto in reviews, and I see the songs they’re going on about, but I don’t much like those bands and I think they deserve better. I hear a lot of French Oi! like R.A.S. or maybe newbies CONDOR on songs like the opener “La Realidad” or “Castigo.” Not surprising as peers and forerunners like DRAPETOMANIA and AUSENCIA had tread these waters before. Really, though, this is a pure Southern California creation with the PLUGZ, ALLEY CATS, and ZEROS leading the pack of this style of head-bobbing, hard as nails, sun-drenched urban punk. If you’re not singing along to “Isla De Vagabundos,” or crying as you pump your fist to “Cuantos Espantos,” I don’t know, man…not much love is left for you in the world. I mean, “Cazcos Apretados” and Solo Por Hoy” are majestic and fucking epic. Bashers like “Ful Yo” and “Desperdicio” thrash it out right there with other local greats TOZCOS, FUTURA, and MACABRE. So yeah, you get it all. Too early for Album of the Year? No way, man. I’ll carve their placa on your skull. Ha!
Feeling as stuck as we do in 2020, and we won’t be forever, I really had to let go of the abrasive hardcore punk rails with this tape, and allow myself to be transported in time. PRISM is heavy and bright, post-shoegazing late-grunge-era rock in a world embracing a self-fog, pre-terror, feel-good energy, but still lost and sad. They play from the heart of punk with the glassy stare of DINOSAUR JR, the CHEATAHS, UNWOUND, and some of the more diminutive tones of SONIC YOUTH. The vocals howl beautifully with a variety of melancholy harmonies and optimistic androgyny. The dial on guitar and bass are down-tuned and the drums tumble like GUIDED BY VOICES meets SEBADOH and the WIPERS. In the mid-’90s, I would pick up a CD based solely on the cover art—take for example STARFLYER 59 in its silver ominous sheen that ended up delivering an obscure, gloomy indie rock gift. Well, PRISM is doing the same—their logo rules, and the cyan case and red cassette would have sold me, too. The more I listen to this tape, the more I become addicted to its vibrance. Four tracks of lo-fi, noise-pop no wave joy.
A very abrasive one-man punk band with a rhythm machine that strongly advocates a political pacifist course of thought and action. Both the lyrics and music are intense and non-wimpy, with good guitar. No trendy politics here at all, and John Dwyer backs up his intelligent lyrics with an extensive reading list and the addresses of many organizations. Recommended.
A budding original approach from this new band (see Northern California scene report for more info). They combine certain aspects of the early Germs sound with garage and post-punk qualities, and have interesting lyrics. It should be fun to watch them grow.
A really well-done seven-song release. Whether doing thrash or impassioned poetry set to ominous noise, this band executes with verve, tightness, and lots of power. Intelligence and musical expression are A-1.
Kind of a “history of…” tape consisting of material from 82-’87. Of course it’s obnoxious, snarly punk rock from these Canadian jokers.
PROFAN RELIK muster a sharp, buzzy guitar attack on this nifty three-tracker. The mid- to fast-tempo punk tunes here sustain their distinctiveness with a clever blend of offbeat guitar riffing and BUZZCOCKS-style guitar solo figures; in this vein, “Esam Kvar” is especially effective. This disc really grabbed my interest…recommended.
I could’ve guessed this trio was from NY by their thrash/metal/mosh sound, which reminds me a little of the CRUMBSUCKERS. Lyrics are in the abstract vein. Good job.
These Aussies have given unto the world an album that is equal parts well-written hardcore punk and slick-as-hell rock’n’roll riffage. Somewhat reminds me of L.A.’s SWEAT a bit, but with RIVERBOAT GAMBLERS/TURBONEGRO-ish riffs.
Highly political hardcore with a raw edge. The sound quality on this tape is pretty mediocre, so it’s not the best opportunity to judge this band, but they sound pretty repetitive here.
Truly delightful synth punk snot from New Orleans, featuring cretins from killer groups including BLACK ABBA, TRAMPOLINE TEAM, BUCK BILOXI, GIORGIO MURDERER and so forth! I love it when it’s the same people in all the bands! Clear evidence of a creative scene volcano hive situation. PSCIENCE is a lo-fi dream with throwaway dollar store guitar sound and synths from a bargain basement new wave-scape. This is not savage synth punk like say, SCREAMERS or LOST SOUNDS, it’s more like that footage of the B-52S playing a house party in 1979 or whatever?! Falling apart good times is all you can ask for as the world shudders to an end. This is great! Gimme more.
A diverse selection of noises from garage-y punk to speed metal to jazzy material all with a spacy guitar sound and personal lyrics.
Folk, mutant psychedelia, and experimental influences abound on this debut cassette. Acoustic and electric guitars predominate over lilting vocals in these improvisational-sounding songs; I felt that this band needs to apply more structure and invention to their output.
Mykel Board loves this band.
More than adequate NY hardcore, with mostly fast songs. While not especially distinctive, it is punchy and tight. Good anti-authoritarian lyrics.
PSYOP plays USHC while folding in the usual pairings: a thrash metal riff here, a beatdown interlude there, and of course, some brief, grindcore/Cookie Monster woofing from the vocalist. The songs sound good, in no small part because of the drummer, who fires off all the standard beats and rhythms seamlessly. The lyrics tilt more towards the political than the nihilistic. For fans of vegan potlucks and union drives.
One of the seemingly few Boston-area bands doing out-and-out hardcore, this young combo does it right. It’s got that “Bosstown” HC sound, with all seven tunes totally ripping. Good one.
A young Berkeley thrash outfit that sports some keen bass playing and guitar work that are sometimes disconcerting (it’s the weird tone, which is both good and bad). Good vocals, too, but they have a propensity to break into rock ’n’ roll/R’n’B riffs in the middle of songs.
CAPITOL PUNISHMENT crossed over with early STRETCH MARKS makes a good comparison of what this Canadian band has to offer. Eight songs that rage through your speakers at hyper speed. Catchy chords and high-pitch tapping beat.
Some really garagy stuff can be found here, both in terms of production and style. PUBLIC HUMILIATION mainly offers punk rock with a simplistic beat, fun retardo lyrics, and an occasional freak-out (that they advertise on the lyric sheet as “wild solo”).
Claiming to be Orange County’s “second worst band,” this outfit really is pretty good. While the tape recording quality is garage, they’re obviously a pretty tight unit. However, they are a bunch of goofs, with songs like “Killer Pigeons.”
If no one told me that this band was new, I would have believed that it was recorded in the late ’80s. Short, fast, and vicious, PUBLIC OPINION delivers an ass-whooping on this four-song demo. It sounds like you are at a basement show right in front of the action, as the sound on this demo is super raw. One for the hardcore lovers that lean more to the rawer, grittier side of things.
With a name like that, it’s gotta be “punk rock,” right? Right! It’s like a flashback to ’78 or something, which can be both fun and a bit tedious. The PUKES have an American style of early punk—slow, garagey, and sometimes silly. The cool part lies in being able to hear the snarly lyrics that jump all over jocks, patriots, and parents in a sarcastic manner.
Some real trashy garage punk can be found here, the musical equivalent of the tape’s title, but the themes are somewhat serious. Need I go on?
Where does one draw the line between cute and dreadful? This is one of those judgement calls, being just guitar and vocals, punk singer/songwriter stuff. I dunno.
First thing is the cover art—it’s a drawing of three dudes, presumably the band members, pissing on a wall. It reminded me of both the Punk Uprisings compilation and the first MASKED INTRUDER album. So going into this, I was prepared for some snotty, probably RAMONES-inspired pop punk. Well, I couldn’t have been more off-point with that assumption. Instead, what I found was what I guess I would classify as “grunge punk”? It’s rocking with heavy distortion, some rockabilly-ish elements, and what sounds like echo effects on the vocals. I imagine this is similar to what it would sound like if Bleach-era NIRVANA played SUPERSUCKERS songs. At first it was a little off-putting, but after repeated listens, it’s grown on me…a bit. Only five songs, so it doesn’t run the risk of wearing out its welcome, although I will say that if they scrapped the first song “Pure Intention” and the third song “George Jesterson” and instead put the remaining three songs on a 7”, I would be way more into this.
Hardcore punk caked in black metal tone from Lima, Peru. They kick off at searing speed but switch directions with each track. The simple pogo attack of “Eres Una Pose” comes across as traditional and straightforward but PUS seeks to be anything but. Their blood-curdling vocals, technical ability, variance of styles, blackened sound, and overall recording quality makes it hard for me to place a stylistic comparison. PUS does a good job of building tension and can write some catchy riffs, but they haven’t fully mastered their songwriting craft and fail to deliver a fatal blow. The songs got a lot going on, though, and show promise.
God, how many hot hardcore bands can there be in Italy? Here’s another ten-song power release, mostly in an American-style stop-and-go thrash mode. The lyrics are overtly political.
Backpack clutching, back-and-forth swaying, gruff vocal singing, melodic JAWBREAKER liking throwback punk rock that harkens to a time and place that I consciously chose not to participate in. There’s nothing bad about QUAKER WEDDING, and all opening sentence tongue in cheek jabs aside they are totally better than just fine at this thing, but…I keep waiting for something to grab me, and nothing does.
A solo release from the singer of Charlotte noise-poppers ACNE that revels in scruffy, romantic pop gems with noisy punk edges. Like a mix of the best parts of GUIDED BY VOICES, early NO AGE, and maybe even the CURE, QUINN RASH captures an intangible feeling of nostalgic emotion perfectly with these four tracks. “Reincarnate” opens the tape with gruff but melodic vocals, woozy, shoegaze-y guitars, and carefully layered production. “Me and Van Gogh” dips into SST-era SONIC YOUTH dissonant guitar lines, layered and laced with melody. Every song is a heart-tugging hit. I recently saw QUINN play live, and it was a fairly confrontational affair, heavy on noisy electronics. So, this tape comes highly recommended, but I am also curious about what he does next.
Tuneful punk with pop influences. Quite melodic but done with a raw edge, clean professional production. Contains members of STRES D.A. and UBR.
This band has a basic thrash sound with a good bit of melody, but the heartfelt lyrics and good production sets this tape apart. Comes with booklet (with translated lyrics).
Pounding, unrelenting high-energy music made up of awkward chords intermixed with several tempo changes. The 28 songs are a good blend of studio and live recordings, all of which have strong production and loads of power. Cool stuff.
If you’re a fan of that raw, early PISTOLS punk, as well as fast, well-done punk, you’ll want to locate this. Although it’s a live recording (good sound, though), there’s plenty of power and clarity, as well as excitement. Great guitar.
If the name wasn’t an intuitive hint, R.AGGS is the lockdown-spawned solo project from Rachel Aggs, modern guitar hero and vocalist in SHOPPING, TRASH KIT, and SACRED PAWS. The completely self-recorded Tape 1 isn’t a major departure from any of those groups, and it’s almost like observing each of them through high magnification under a microscope, with Rachel’s signature hybrid post-punk/highlife inspirations stripped down to new minimal extremes. “Back of My Hand” and “Sky Is Falling” both pick up TRASH KIT’s post-RAINCOATS tendencies toward overlapping vocals, bright guitar and scratchy violin and throw in some subtle electronics that bubble just below the surface, while tracks like “Welcoming the Waves” and “Side By Side” are largely given over to pulsating, synthesized beats and coolly-recited lyrical mantras, with those trademark spindly, single-note guitar lines cutting in mostly as supporting elements. Best of all is the metronomic and very YOUNG MARBLE GIANTS-ish bass-centered sparseness of “Tell Us Yourself” and “Speeding,” the latter featuring a repeated chant of “They told you jump / You said how high” that could have easily been one SHOPPING’s fiery and tightly-wound dancefloor calls-to-arms, but which takes on a completely different gravity in such a stark, raw context. Most of the newly-realized quarantine home-recording projects that are popping up lately could only aspire to be this good.
Side A features 11 live songs from Mexico’s SOLUCION MORTAL, a great set! Side B features Germany’s R.Z. AMOK doing 9 studio songs, also sounding good. Lyric and band into booklet included.
The A-side is a new-wavey cover of the EXCITERS’ hit of the early ’60s, and the B is a ska cover. Not really happening, unfortunately, as this band helps their local scene a lot.
Sadly, the wall-of-mud production detracts from this powerful band. Their songs have an obvious energy to them, which kicks along songs like “Helden” with its skittering guitar parts. All in all, not too shabby, but it would be really nice to hear them.
Good driving punk but without much distinct personality. While the music’s plenty punk and there’s good power and vocals, they lack that special something which becomes evident on LPs more than EPs. Still, it’s not bad at all.
Love the name (which is presented symmetrically and fairly illegibly) of this band from Brooklyn. RABBIT plays DARKSIDE NYC-style blackened HC with some dooming psych elements. Four tracks of lo-fi bleak hardcore that is set-back and captivating. The guitar tones are a blanket of space warmth, the drums and bass piledrive through with early ’90s NYHC bitterness. Every musician in this band is bringing something powerful, but RABBIT is clearly not about showmanship. I’m about halfway through this listen and now feeling a specter-like sound of CRO-MAGS’ “Malfunction” mixed with NO FUNERAL tone and the OUT OF LINE demo production. Wait for the Watership breakdown (sorry, had to). Excellent demo if old school dark death-inspired NYHC is (or was) ever your thing, and you’re seeking something fresh from this atomic garden.
This shit sounds so unbelievably wild, I don’t even know where to start. Blown-out hardcore with ramshackle crust vibes that are masked by the absolutely bombastic recording. I’m not even sure if there’s a guitar (except for the solos), the bass sounds like…I don’t fukkn know man, but not a normal bass…and the vocals land somewhere between GRUMPIES and NAUSEA. Total sonic overload is exactly what DIY punk needs and that’s exactly what Ohio’s RABID DELUSION delivers. Really want to hear where this band goes next.
Here’s another Northern California act you should know about, cuz these jokers blast out a hot punk and thrash sound with honest positive lyrics and a lot of energy. Check this out.
A very roughly made tape that makes it difficult to appreciate the music. What I can hear is a fairly musical post-punk style, or maybe even pre-punk STOOGE-ish sounding rock. On the eerie side.
The RAID play basic but enjoyable garage punk with pop influence. Lyrics are in the rebellious vein. Pretty catchy stuff here.
Debut LP from Portland, Oregon’s RAILING, with a no wave take on grunge. While this hangs on the mothball tailcoats of regional grunge forbearers, it does attempt to create a unique, spacious sound. A lot of these songs start slow with droning, repetitive guitar riffs (that I think could be battered in a little more sludge), oddly bouncy drums, and a fierce female vocalist (who kind of saves the whole wandering ensemble). Midway through most tracks, the tempo ramps up, gets snotty, only to end right when you’re nodding along. I must say, I’m left wanting a little more. A touch faster? More gut to the guitars? But you didn’t ask me, and who the fuck am I? The lyrics are affirming, genuine, and writhe under society’s general control, as in “I’m sick of keeping up / Just to stay down” from “Now.” “Radio” kicks along consistently at a mid-tempo pace and is fairly catchy, so there’s some gems within. Not for me this time through, but I’d try out their next take.
RÄKÄ is a young band from eastern Finland. They have an exceptionally primitive approach, with almost every song consisting of a single simple and repetitive riff overlaid by nasty vocals. Rude and pile-driving.
Good mid/fast-tempo punk, albeit the noisy variety. Decent recording quality, but it does diminish their impact somewhat. Imagine they’re fun live.
A novelty record, to be sure. Side one features a flute and rhythm machine backing a ridiculous monologue about middle class guilt on starving Third World peoples. The flip is a satire on sex-oriented rock songs set to a grinding guitar and a beat. Twisted.
Awesome. The fourteen songs crammed in here are up to the quality and style of Boston HC from 3-4 years ago. Just rippin’ from start to finish. And good production sound to boot. Get it.
An unusual band. Amidst the thrash, there’s some post-punk influence, but not the lightweight, arty type. This tape features interesting, driving arrangements; tight, innovative playing; and a male/female singing combo that is very different.
Raw Italian punk. The tempos are medium, the vocals are raggedy, the sound is rough, and a couple of the songs have good sing-along potential. A pop sensibility also lurks beneath the distorted production here.
Totally tuneless noise thrashing. I think that even if I could hear what was going on through the raw, unmixed recording, I’d think the same thing.
It’s 2019. It says so right on your own tape. You can’t open your demo with a cover of “Wild Thing.” Like, I don’t know if there’s been actual legislation passed that has codified this cultural understanding into law, but…seriously? Just don’t do that. You set the zero bar so damn high that I don’t even know if the rest of your demo can possibly get me back to where I was when I pressed play. But I listen anyway…and grudgingly, I have to admit that despite your ill-advised opener, RAT TRAP, I am now on your team. Knuckle-dragging hardcore punk at its most primitive: loose, ugly—the kind of music you want people to hate. And I’m sure that some of them do…so you win (for what it’s worth though, I think y’all fukkd up the opening riff to “Wild Thing”).
RATTUS just isn’t the band I see going metal; their guitar structure is too HC to say the least. Even though there are plays at attempting a metal crossover, this is RATTUS and they still deliver strong hardcore riffs. Just ’cause a band does a few metallic leads doesn’t mean it’s metal. Some really decent RATTUS material of new form is here.
This band is aptly named—they’re one of the best I’ve heard from Europe. They present a tight all-out thrash assault with powerhouse instrumentation. Go for this today!
Incredible Swedish thrash mercenary action at it again, this time from Jerker and RÖVSVETT. Split-second bursts to lightning-fast turbulence with raw, gruff vocals make this an exceptional platter. Eight manic quakes of mayhem and speed to stir some braincells. Interesting and uplifting.
A nine-song collage-like effort. The sound quality is pretty high, and for a band with mid-tempo songs, clear but powerful, layered instrumentation, and critical narrative lyrics, that’s really important. At times it’s a bit too “mellow” for me, but other invigorating tunes make up for that.
Sing-along thrash not unlike early 7 SECONDS. Good personal lyrics and lots of raw energy. A band to watch for.
Imagine a protest chant set to music, and you’ll get pretty close to RED ROT. In style and substance, this band sounds like they assembled for the express purpose of playing a rally or march. The guitars are there, but felt like an accent on the drums and vocals. Those last two parts dominate the recording, repeating their grievances. It’s snotty, oppositional, and on-the-nose.
Soulful freak punk with a casual absence of pretense. Early no wave/damaged post-punk with some awkward funk thrown in, fronted by performance art freak vocals that move effortlessly between Lunch and Kekaula. I can see this in the context of 1990s indie just as easily as 1980s New York, and it sounds like it completely belongs in 2019.
An album’s worth of blistering political thrash from Canada. Structurally, there’s a lot of imaginative little quirks that serve to break up the tempo, so the high-powered songs don’t all run together. Very tight, very intelligent, and very worthwhile.
Eleven more great songs from this Canadian unit. With their wicked delivery and tight, imaginative arrangements, these guys constitute one of the more talented young bands around today. Most of the songs are thrashers, but there’s some real weirdness in the vocals.
If you had the good fortune to come upon their EP, you know what this new four-song “live” cassette is like. If not, it’s not too late to pick up on this bone-crunching attack. Note, as go the FARTZ (now 10 MINUTE WARNING), so go the REJECTORS. This means that there are some heavy metal guitar licks on this tape.
Low-fidelity, rudimentary rock’n’roll. Singer’s going for some kind of Colin McFaull-meets-Angry Anderson snotty bar rock vibe while the band plods through grimy would-be jams that sound like they are, quite literally, coming from your drunk neighbor’s garage. Which is, of course, the charm of REMEDY FEELIN’, because that’s exactly what they’re going for. When they hit the multiple vocals on “Sleepless Summer,” I’m reminded of SF greats FANTASY (which will mean little to most readers, but if you know, then you definitely know)—like glam without any of the chops or any of the….well, without any of the glam. Weird, right?
Brooding, metallic crust out of Finland that is likely to please both stenchcore freaks and thrash-holes alike. The agonizing dirges will have you clutching your head as if that’s the only thing keeping it from bursting, while the driving verses come at you like a runaway eighteen-wheeler, begging you to get out there and fuck shit up. The lyrics follow those lines, and are as well crafted as the music. If you’re looking for a soundtrack to the current apocalypse then give this one a spin.
Rockabilly-tinged and liquor-drenched. There, I just wrote this PDX band’s next album title for them. Featuring a member of the awesome BITCH SCHOOL, this band sticks to the over-21 crowd with tales of alcohol, fornication, and yes, Satan. It’s soulful in the vocal department and the band is good with the chops thing, but overall it’s not off-the-rails enough for me. Not horrible, but my standards are pretty high for this kind of thing to stand out from the endless supply of disposable CDs floating through here every month. Better luck next time.
This tape contains four long, slow, and rather dreary songs. It’s intentionally that way, but this doesn’t necessarily help the situation. While melodic and tight, the overall mood is of depression. I get enough of that in real life.
Bleed City was released as a promo tape before the LP Buyer’s Remorse comes out on Iron Lung Records. With a label like that releasing the band, you can already get a sense of where this is going. Harsh, bleak, and unfiltered aggression of hardcore as it was back in the day, with bands like INFEST or NEGATIVE APPROACH as a template. “No feel-good anthems here, just the downward spiral of a dark and bleak trip,” as stated on their Bandcamp. A couple of surprises on Side B in the form of a RUDIMENTARY PENI cover and a remix by Andrew Nolan from ENDLESS BLOCKADE, COLUMN OF HEAVEN, and INTENSIVE CARE fame. Excited for the LP to come out.
An extremely hot “live” tape that demonstrates why so many people have raved about these guys. It’s highly energized and even thrashy at times, but always innovative, tight, and powerful. And they found a good use for Falwell’s propaganda tapes!
Five songs by this San Jose group, consisting of two women and two men. Great snarly vocals in the snotty tradition of ’60s punk and Darby Crash. The arrangements are snappy and the sound is distinctive, maybe as a result of their five-string guitars. Look for a record soon.
Weird little lathe cut record from someone who purports that this is CHRISTIAN DEATH covering the GERMS. It’s not—nobody would hear the stomp and the noise on both tracks and associate them with the atmospheric gloom of early CHRISTIAN DEATH. The cover of “Forming” on here is solid, but unfortunately it cuts off early to include a nearly incomprehensible live take on “Media Blitz” that doesn’t seem related to the original song at all. A puzzling and inessential record. The zine that comes with this document is printed on glossy paper and has some pretty nice collages and drawings showing the creator’s love of both CHRISTIAN DEATH and the GERMS. Worth it for the zine, but even that is a brief read.
Part two in NERVOUS TICK’s collaboration series, where the project teams up with another band to play an original song, cover the other band, and collaborate on a song. Cool idea with great execution. NERVOUS TICK has a synth-tinged garage punk sound with gruff vocals. RICKY HELL delivers romantic synth-pop gems like “She’s My Angel” that deserve a spot on a crush’s mix tape or a spin at your prom. “Roadmaster” is a perfect mix of the two, with nostalgic heart-string-yanking guitar and a mix of the two different vocal styles. This is a cool tape, as well as a document of friendship and creative collaboration. We need that. Keep your anger—gimme friendship any day. I’m not sure why I’m hearing this now since it came out in 2020, but Vol. III was just released and it looks good, too.
Pure mayhem straight from Chicago. This cassette is short, but enough to tell a story from start to finish. A story of violence, struggle for survival, and spiritual struggles. The sound is a cavernous, dissonant, blackened D-beat. The effect of the excerpts from the poem “La Fórmula Secreta” by Mexican writer Juan Rulfo (I recommend you read his novel Pedro Paramo and his book of short stories The Plain in Flames) is absolutely brutal and elevates this short punk flash to the category of art. Lyrics are in Spanish, but the hatred is universal. A hell of a debut.
A year-old tape by Chicago’s coolest young thrashers, which was originally supposed to be released as a 7″ on Version Sound. Except for the funky title song, the cuts are fast, frenetic, and a bit rough around the edges, but that’s no problem unless you’re overly concerned about professionalism. I’m not, so I wish someone would press this humorous trash. Yeah!
While eclectic musically, the various melodic styles on this tape still maintain a “punkness” to them. This is not only in its edge and aggressiveness, but also in the lyrics—so there’s lots of potential with this band, as long as they keep their sense of outrage.
I love a release that’s tough to nail down. LA’s RINSE play spaced-out psych/punk, but I use both of those descriptors in the broadest sense. There’s a Doc Dart irreverence to the snarls, the off-kilter hooks drip with ’80s SoCal sensibilities, and the overall drive is sweaty and relentless, like if the BRIEFS played weird music instead of garage pop. Then they fukkn drop “Mall of America” in the middle of the damn tape, a 5+ minute slog that’s like SWELL MAPS meets ADOLESCENTS and I am at full attention. Slick and intentional punk, but supremely and superbly damaged. Good stuff.
This lively experimental release melds rhythm machine, synthesizer, and demented vocals to obtain a refreshing effect. It reminds me of the sort of thing MORGAN-FISCHER once did so well, but TECHNO-PRIMITIVISM boast a social sensibility that the open-minded should find delightful. Frenetic and fun.
Stop-and-go thrash at its finest. Nine tight tunes blast forward with such a strong amount of energy, your ears will be left in amazement. In many ways, the music might come off as very basic, but if you’re a crash and bang fan, this tape will not leave you disappointed.
Completely off-the-rails Midwest hardcore punk—an eight-minute live set from 2020 on one side and the studio demo (which honestly isn’t much more cohesive) from 2018 on the flip. Remember last decade when Indiana bands like OOZE and BIG ZIT took the world by storm? This is like that, but way more of a mess. Good luck finding a copy.
OK grungy metal punk with varied lyrics: Most are ok, but there’s “Tim Sucks” (Not about Bobo Yohannan, I hope) and “Anarchy Bitch” which is totally moronic.
ROLLSPORTGRUPPE have a nice bounce to their pretty trad rock. Or maybe it’s mod? The guitars have a dash of distortion and, with the drums, create some driving but uniquely restrained rock’n’roll. The vocals are pleasing yet hoarse and urgent. Don’t get me wrong, this is no snooze-fest, my foot was tapping the whole time. But the band holds back and lets the rhythms, stops, and starts do the work. The whole thing has a soft, almost whimsical tone.
I know. This record cover is absolutely begging you to scroll on by. And I wouldn’t blame you if you did—I certainly let this thing sink to the bottom of my listening pile because of it. But do yourself a favor and listen to these tunes. ROMANCE is a four-piece who formed as part of First Timers, a 2018 Sydney music festival put on by Bryony Beynon (whom you might know from GOOD THROB, BB AND THE BLIPS, or numerous MRR contributions!) to promote representation in music. All bands who participate are playing their first live set together and meet two of the following three requirements: 1) at least one member has never played in a band before; 2) at least one member is a woman, a person of color, an LGBTQI+ or gender non-conforming person; and 3) at least one member is playing an instrument they’ve never played before. With this being vocalist Jane’s first time in a band and Ben’s first go at drums (he’s done non-drumming stuff in DUMBELLS and SHRAPNEL), I believe they meet all three. The band is rounded out with Max from BB AND THE BLIPS on guitar and Greg from DISPLAY HOMES on bass. This is their debut release, which is just seeing the light of day after being recorded back in 2019 and shelved for an extended time due to COVID. Speaking of GOOD THROB, it’s hard not to hear their influence on the six tracks that make up this EP. It’s a similar brand of rhythm-section-forward, garage-y post-punk with a nasty edge, provided in large part by a strong vocal performance seemingly delivered at the edge of sanity (Jane’s really going for it here, taking things to near Dani Filth registers at times—it’s quite impressive!). But whereas GOOD THROB leans post-punk, ROMANCE puts more emphasis on the garage-y side, almost pushing it in a surfy direction, while keeping things keenly focused on punk. Everything just sounds crisp and vital. It’s raw, it’s fun, it’s cool. It’s a great record!
From Ventura comes a nice little slice of soul-filled, vocal-led hard rock/grunge/punk. It’s a dirty back alley behind a 7-Eleven kinda ride. RAMONES, SABBATH, L7, all listened to at maximum volume on a warped tape slowly getting eaten by your brother’s stereo in his crappy van. “Mud “ is brilliant. An “Eat Me Raw” or the little green guy flipping the bird shirt should be donned immediately. Cool.
Metally HC with a definite garagey feel to it. Lyrically they attack issues like abortion, AIDS, drug/alcohol abuse, etc. Good.
ROT has a poppy SoCal beach punk sound accented by fuzzed-out guitar work and sarcastic lyrics. Ten songs of pure fun!
With a name like ROTTEN FOXES, I was in full anticipation of a group of extremely attractive people. Alas, all I get is a bunch of ugly hairy dudes. Well, fret not, for this is some damn decent ugly hairy guy rock’n’roll, and I mean that in the nicest sense. They get the obvious comparisons to BUZZCRUCHER or MAD BROTHER WARD, as well as the token MOTÖRHEAD nod, all while being quite tuneful and carrying a melody or two in between shout-along choruses. You’d expect these guys to be from the South or Midwest, but these blokes hail from bloody England for fucks sake!?! While you ignore my lousy attempt at cockney slang, let me just say this is a mighty OK record. A little slicker than I like in this kind of band, and almost like MOWER, minus the crust punk influence, it’s still very worthy of ten or so minutes of your life. Cheers.
The self-described D-beat poseur mower ROTTING HAMMER plays frothing-at-the-bit, sinister raw punk conjuring a ’90 squat scene filthcore-style, thinking POPULATION ZERO, VIRULENT STRAIN, DEATH MOLD…maybe even the more recent DEVIL MASTER. The drums are blistering D-beat with classic riffs riding with rapturing insolence. Vocals recall the more scathing, scratchy style of death metal. This is perfect plague pestilent death music, where we are at today. Nothing lives under the fall of the ROTTING HAMMER! A truly nihilistic sound with furious pace and aggression. I swear, if I had it in me this week, this review could be fraught with comparisons. Solid foreboding punk.
Blistering innovative metal punk from San Jose. Includes a cover of a cover (“Psycho Chicken”) and I like it.
Summoning Swedish insurgence that discharges a quick spasm of invasioning disorder and brawling vigor. Jerker’s throat vibrates in growling wails as he wrings out a forceful vocal assault. Compelling guitar structures keep the action alive with hammering drum exertions, as these reels spin off alerting mayhem in that Swedish acceleration tradition. Good stuff to watch for.
Gruff vocals accompany discordant, biting hardcore and thrash on this hard-rocking seven-track EP. A lack of variety in songwriting is about made up for with the grinding guitars and overall vocal intensity. A good follow-up to their excellent debut EP.
A new Seattle outfit with Brad, an original member of the LEWD. Both songs here are fast punkers with a distorted guitar and some of the meanest vocals I’ve heard since those of Blaine from the FARTZ. An added bonus is this classic line from the A-side: “Shoot the Pope, shoot the Pope, just another Polish joke.” Pick it up today.
This band contains some former members of Y.I.A. The vocals and lyrics are the most noteworthy qualities, as the music tends to lack a certain zip. “Sid Is Dead” is a classic cut, though.
Superfast hyperthrash with fierce roaring vocals. Nothing too original, just 15 minutes of total insanity.
A three-song goodie. The production on these rockers is really fine, calling attention to this band’s musical expertise and attention to arrangements. Although there are tinges of “rock” guitar, it’s kept to a minimum, making way for the powerful overall effect. Their version of the AIRPLANE classic is totally enjoyable.
These four tracks of straightforward, crusty hardcore don’t give you a chance to breathe. “No End in Sight” showcases the grinding guitars, solid D-beat drumming, and bleak lyrics that make this tape so dang good. The vocals remind me of Chuck Schuldiner’s on DEATH’s classic debut Scream Bloody Gore, though this is far from death metal. The final track is a cover of DISCLOSE’s “War Cloud” and is a wall of brutality.
Yeeouwh! This is an absolutely amazing British thrash band. SPEAK AGAINST SOCIETY manages to generate an incredible wall of guitar power and attains a level of intensity rarely heard these days from that “sceptered isle.” No doubt they’ll be panned in the British music weeklies, the surest sign of greatness. “We Don’t Need It” makes your hair stand up!
A three-song demo from Canada. It’s powerful, slower punk stuff with very strong vocals and intelligent lyrics. Even though S.C.U.M.’s music isn’t too contemporary-sounding, their commitment makes this tape sound very up-to-date.
Featuring ex-members of CATATONICS and SUBURBAN REBELS (from upstate NY), this posthumous release features driving melodic guitar punk and thrash. While it doesn’t always sparkle, there’s lots of energy and potential…but alas they hung it up—Belvy moved to Reno, Bob to San Diego, etc. Another sad story, but that’s rock’n’roll.
Was expecting sloppy thrash, but got powerful mid-tempo punk with driving guitar work. Strong stuff here and lyric topics very good.
Two thrash tunes (just very fast punk, really) and two punkers, all enjoyable. Good change of pace from metal/HC.
Here are five sparse, simple, slowish pop-rock numbers with somewhat appealing singing. My favorite track is “Abandoned by History,” which is snazzed up by some CRAMPS-ish psycho vocals; the rest isn’t too startling.
Quite an attack. This is noise thrash—not cleaned up or pretty—but really effective and pounding. There’s a lot of spirit here, as well as good punk rock. I like it.
Pretty standard thrash, although sometimes it breaks the norm. What really stands out here are the lyrics. They’re standing out right now… from my garbage can! It’s where they belong, sexist, homophobic macho goon-squad bullshit better left to the rockers and metal crowd.
Despite the controversy over SACRED ORDER’s supposed homophobic, sexist attitudes, the music on their new demo tape is an invigorating mixture of garage raunch, brain-damaged metal guitar parts, psychotic vocals, and funnypunk themes (as exhibited in songs like “Funky Mr. Penis” and “3 Testes”). I think SACRED ORDER sound like a gas, and it’s hard to imagine how anyone could take them too seriously.
This really isn’t very good. The music is plodding and not very interesting. The vocals are stiff and deadpan and the lyrics attempt to be witty but fall flat. It’s dads playing hardcore and that’s all fine, but what’s really interesting is reading the band’s history on the internet. SACRIPOLITICAL is a Marin County mainstay that’s been playing on and off since 1982! They’ve played with all your favorite bands in lots of long-forgotten bars, clubs, and in a glass warehouse with FANG!? They’ve been written up in this very magazine and were even interviewed on KPFA for the radio show. Sure, you’ve probably never heard of them, but their band history is hilarious and makes me nostalgic for another time. For that I think you deserve to give these people an honest listen, and maybe even throw them a couple bucks or chat them up at a future show.
Anguished and furious hardcore punk from Toronto, with an overt anarcho-punk delivery. Breakdowns are everywhere, whether in the early ’00s screaming proto-grind or the dual-vocal ’90s euro-crust. There are some very ripping death metal riffs on here, with waves of pop punk, melodic hardcore, and D-beat. Songs clock in at about two minutes each, which is perfect, leaving me ready for more.
A lot of this band’s material is on the softer side, not unlike some of the REPLACEMENTS’ current material. There’s some freak-out jazzy punk, too, and even some thrash that’s twinged with country, reminding me of MDC’s “Chicken Squawk” or something.
An interesting eight-song tape that combines political consciousness with a VELVET UNDERGROUND perverse attitude. Musically, it’s quirky pop meets early V.U. (pre-first LP) meets no wave. Intelligent all the way around.
This tape is hardly audible, but the smashings and rantings thrown rapidly at you, with extreme lyrics, give proof that if this band released an EP of quality recording, it would be intense. Don’t let the name fool you—it’s not demonic, but intelligent, especially toward animal rights.
Heavy-metal-infused party punk rock from Dekalb County, IL. Mostly pretty formulaic, with a couple of little curveballs thrown in that are likely little goofs between the band members—for example, the intentionally sloppy blastbeat part of their song “Scumbag Black Metal.” That one makes sense to me, but the disco beat on “Red, White, and Brew” is over my head. With song titles like that, I kind of imagine everyone more or less can tell what they’re getting into with a band like SATIN BLACK.
Side One is SCHIZOID’s live weirdness: wacko HC with metal influences. Side Two is POOR WHITE TRASH, who sound similar, but includes studio stuff. Neat and worth the buck.
Austria’s SCHUND launches into a mid-tempo garage attack on their debut EP, combining a totally raw guitar sound, a female singer, and a tuneless, amateurish approach. The crude production also adds something, and “Aufstand” has special appeal.
I first heard about these/this freak(s) recently from their Covid Collaboration with NERVOUS TICK and was planning to dig in anyway, so the Assignment Gods be kind this month. It’s like I hoped, and yet more reined in than I expected. Pop sensibilities crammed into bedroom punk recordings, like fuzzed out ’60s Nuggets amped up on all of the drugs (which is an ironic comparison, when you really think about it). Kinda hardcore, kinda garage punk, the drum machine (and tracks like “Changeling”) makes me think of late ’80s industrial/punk hybrids…imagine a collision of KARP and CHROME and SPITS and NOMEANSNO. Hail Freaks, Hail!
Cool split between Buffalo’s NERVOUS TICK AND THE ZIPPER LIPS and SCIENCE MAN where each band contributes one original song, a cover of the other band, and two collaborative tracks. The groups have a pretty different sound and energy, but this tape works and is a hopeful document that the spirit of artistic collaboration can thrive in this time of isolation. The first three tracks show off SCIENCE MAN’s no-frills/no bullshit rock’n’roll with sleazy vocals and meaty STOOGES instrumentation. “The Mask” is three minutes of slow churn proto-punk with a full-ass guitar solo. The next two from them are a little faster but still have OG hard rock vibes with a throaty menace. Tough! The three NERVOUS TICK songs are forged in jerky new wave rhythms, complete with a drum machine under the trebly guitar work. “Don’t Know Where to Go” has stiff, robotic vocals that sound like GARY NUMAN on punk. This tape is a great idea done well, and I look forward to future volumes (hopefully after COVID).
Most Northern European bands don’t put much emphasis on melody, it seems but these SCOUNDRELS certainly do. This is somewhat explained by a lot of medium-tempo punk tracks (as well as faster thrash), where tunefulness is more important. Well done. They love the GERMS.
A three-song job, one track of which is a rhythmic, driving, raw song with a dash of early CRASS or the EX. The other two are raving, noisy thrashers. Lyrics are of a political nature, and all in all, this is a band to watch for. Confusing note: their flyer says seven songs are on a 20-minute tape for $3.50 ppd.
With the gruff vocals and rockish punk instrumentation, I’d have guessed that SCREAMING DOGS were a Canadian band. The songs are all medium speed or slower, and they have a “heavy” feel to them. There are some appealing moments, but overall this tape didn’t get me too inspired.
Punk rock with a great obnoxious “punk rock” attitude. Lyrics range from rebellious to ridiculous. About 45 minutes worth of great tunes plus a funny interview. Too great for words.
The guitars on this tape are sloppy pop punk with just a touch of reverb and an occasional bum note. The drums sound like a collection of cardboard boxes, pots, and pans. This is a sound I always associate with early ’00s bands like SHOTWELL or ADD/C. The whole thing sounds like an overdub of a bootleg, but SCROUNGER has great hooks and a sense of timing which makes them sound carefree rather than careless. At the Edge of Our Abilities is an easy, breezy ride on top of a punk rock freight car.
Hell yeah! Maximum energy and truly fukkd garage that wastes just a few minutes of my life before fucking back off to Cleveland. Damaged and full of shit-hot rock’n’roll, just the way Rust Belt punks are rumored to deliver their goods (the rumors are true). It’s like Carl Perkins got kidnapped by the NEOS and then spawned East Bay Ray in the middle of a time warp ’60s California desert acid experiment. The shit is wild, the shit is fast, the shit is out there, can you dig it?
A spirited young band from outside Chicago. They play a variety of styles on this tape, ranging from the FLIPPER-ish “Fucking Fashions” to the thrashed-out “I.R.S.” to the funnypunk classic, “Burn, Jane Byrne.” The lyrics to “Morton Grove” are a bit muddled, but SEISMIC WAVES have potential. I just hope they get some gigs.
Medium/slow-paced but powerful, combining some of the better aspects of post-punk with the raw power of PISTOLS-type punk. Lyrically, the three songs deal poetically and philosophically with alienation, religion, etc. Good sound.
Can you imagine a ’90s college dream pop band ingesting a heavy diet of PHARAOH OVERLORD? You get the white line fever 3 am highway monotony treated with a time-damaged MERCURY REV tinged with later KYLESA and it’s like you’re gazing at your shoes but through a thick-ass drug-induced fog. As a(nother) new generation of kids and bands and kids in bands draw influence from the music of my young adulthood, I look forward to bands like SELF-IMMOLATION MUSIC who are using discarded markers to guide them on their own path. Absolutely recommended.
This Leeds band returns with a second cassette of UK psychedelic shoegaze. RIDE, SPACEMEN 3, JESUS AND MARY CHAIN, and a little VELVET UNDERGROUND thrown in. It’s not really spectacular and not my go-to kind of lysergic background noise (ROKY, BUTTHOLE SURFERS) but they do it quite well. There are some excellent long drone-out moments and everything is buried and sounds like it’s been amplified through a wet tube sock. Cool RAMONES cover. Good for some kicks. Check it.
Ripping fastcore, the way you want it and they way it should be delivered. São Paulo’s SENDO FOGO slow it down to a punishing pace when necessary, and it just makes the controlled insanity of bangers like “Abaixo do Chão” come off even more face-melting. Blasts drop in a few times, but at its heart this is a no-bullshit fast hardcore record—carrying on the Brasilian tradition of bands like DISCARGA, MAYOMBE, MERDE, and the like. Eleven songs, twelve minutes. Killer.
This is Tim’s (ex-C2D) new project, playin rockin’ mid-tempo punk comparable to the later C2D material. Lyrics are in the horror/gore vein, of course. Fun.
Fun, jangly melodic punk with common-sense political lyrics. This is also available as the NEW VULGARIANS with different words… all about rock climbing. A blast either way.
Pretty angry stuff! With song titles like “Angry Youth,” “Society Sux,” and “I’d Rather Be Dead,” you can tell these guys spend too much time thinking about the bad and not enough time trying to create some good. I hope their ideas will expand and their grungy punk music will develop into something creative.
This tape combines the band’s summer 2018 demo and four new tracks. The latter are plodding, scathing feminist hardcore delivered at full intensity. Hardcore breakdowns are always my favorite part, but these breakdowns take it up a notch and sound like a powerful hell-demon running at full force through a block of frozen molasses. The faintest hint of delay in the vocals in exactly the right places drags the sound into hardcore’s current era. The demo tracks are rougher, faster, and more brutal, as to be expected. Don’t miss this.
It’s from NY, it’s HC, but this isn’t the NYHC sound that has become prevalent recently. This is more garage-y (may be the production), more straightforward, with lots of different tempos.
SPIKE HAYTRID hailed from ’81 or so, and were pretty trashy. SHADES OF GREY are much tighter, more powerful, and less poppy—but still trashy (in the good sense of the term). Both are the products of one Matt Burnett.
These Twin Falls lads have really improved since the last time I saw them. Here, they display a rough-edged harmonious sound with lots of good riffs and catchy melodies. Definitely not thrash, but action-packed power punchers like YOUTH BRIGADE or the VANDALS. They could do well with some vinyl or some good studio recording.
A new Vancouver outfit with former members of the SUBHUMANS. “Bawl and Change” and “The Closet” are terrific guitar-heavy pop blasts that’ll motivate you to bop; the other songs are clever rockish numbers that can be compared to English band SPHERICAL OBJECTS. Not bad at all.
OK, this is what I can glean from the liner notes. Four young German lads, greatly influenced by US bands that were busy touring Germany in the late ’80s/early ’90s, form a band called DBF (a.k.a. DISORGANIZED BUNCH OF FUCKERS). They jump in a VW camper van and tour Europe, and have their eyes opened (politically, certainly). And then come home. And are a bit knackered. And instead of doing a new DBF record, start a new project called SHATTERED DREAMS. The resulting new album (which includes one or two DBF tunes) sounds a little overblown/histrionic to these ears. Too many breakdowns, and tough-guy hardcore posturings. Nevertheless, some good melodic hardcore, melded with some of the fury of later-period CONFLICT (the UK anarcho-punk chaps), provides some highlights. This is in 1991. In 1992, a bit underwhelmed, the four-piece picks up a new drummer, records some new demos, and enters into a battle-of-the-bands-type effort (which was duly recorded), and actually come into their own, musically, as a sort of European melodic angry hardcore band with excellent metallic guitaring. Somewhat reminiscent of a fledgeling LIFE….BUT HOW TO LIVE IT? Needless to say, I much prefer this second effort, which doesn’t seem to have appeared at the time (recorded in 1992), but was released decades later, largely for “friends and family.” So much so that if there’s a website or address on either of these discs, it’s in unreadably small print. Which is a pity. Well worth tracking down Days of Rage.
Under-the-radar, high-energy hardcore from Bremen’s SHATTERED DREAMS, who left us with just one (killer) EP before disbanding, not long after the show captured on this disc. Metal-tinged hardcore punk with an excellent recording that reminds me more than a little of RKL’s Double Live in Berlin—this disc is a winner as an introduction or a posthumous document. Top cuts: “Feel the Change” and the more melodic “Into the Dark.”
Pretty solid punk and thrash here with Al Quint (of Suburban Voice zine) being the mouth at the mike spitting out the personal and social commentary. Not bad at all.
Good skunk French punk, if you know what I mean. You know, music you can pogo to, that has those unmistakable French choruses. Strong production.
Billing themselves as an “industrial hardcore half-breed,” I’d say they’re more on the industrial side of life. While there are some post-punk influences, the noise/mechanical factor is predominant. This is a “live” tape, and well-done if you’re into modern pain.
Primitive, one-person thrash-crust with a drum machine and a quarantine theme. This is the kind of solo act that proudly declares their total incompetence in musicianship, recording and especially drum machine programming, but still must rock their bedroom closet studio into rubble. Sure, it’s kind of terrible, but it made me chuckle a little. It’s worth a spin, but probably just one.
New Orleans noizecore project. SHITLOAD takes elements from all different kinds of extreme music and kinda mixes them all in together. The mid-tempo grimy riffs are pretty catchy, and I find myself wanting more of that. Tracks that stay in that realm like “Hang On” are super cool and I dig a lot. However, whenever it kicks into grindcore speed, the “drums” just sound like a non-stop machine gun. Twenty-one tracks of that is a lot to digest in one sitting, but tons of respect for how busy this dude’s been to crank out this much stuff all post-COVID.
Pandemic-born solo noisecore from New Orleans. Emphasis on the noise. Oppressive, distorted and violent. Someone sowed seeds of powerviolence and then got locked in their bedroom…shit got pollinated by stench and filth and noise. Choice cut: “Just Shut Up snd Wear Your Fucking Mask.”
Lo-fi noisecore solo project split cassette. SHITLOAD from New Orleans I have reviewed releases from before, and this is more of the same. Drum machine sounding like a machine gun, fast riffs over top. It’s a bit hard to differentiate from song to song since they’re all essentially in the same formula. Speaking of songs being difficult to differentiate from one another, BOILED TONGUE from Gulfport, Mississippi lists their tracks on this release as just “(Untitled 1-17).” If lo-fi grindcore, powerviolence, or other forms of aggressive music are your bag, then this would presumably be up your alley. Both projects mix elements from all different forms of brutality into a single package.
Consistently pushing the inanity of noisecore to new limits, New Orleans act SHITLOAD may have outdone themselves. But before you look at a list of the (acoustic) instruments used to create this cacophony and turn away, I would like to offer this advice: just give it a chance. Yeah, the kazoo in between bursts is a little much (OK— it’s a lot much), but hearing everything piled on top of everything else is the same kind of complete sensory overload that makes walls of harsh noise so…comforting. This time it’s in the context (or spirit) of raw powerviolence through shit-fi, and the chaotic monotony works. I know that Bobby Paranoize, SHITLOAD’s sole member, is having a go at us here and that this was released in an edition of ten copies…but I’m going to hold onto mine. Even though, as the artist states: “This is a bunch of ridiculous bullshit.”
“In celebration of getting my third COVID-19 booster shot, I’ve recorded this to let you all know that I’m more vaccinated than you!” This is SHITLOAD’s statement for this self-released two-track tape. Bobby Paranoize does it all: bass, noise, yelling, screaming, drum programming, and vaccines?!?! Each track is a seven-minute frenzy of blastbeats, screaming, and gritty bass. No false grind here, just hatred and vaccine-filled noisecore! A total shitload of noise!
You’ve probably heard that type who states punk will be great as a consequence of some oppressive political force obtaining power—I would kick those jerks in the face. Punk is much less relevant than maintaining a living in such shit states. SHIZAN is from Minsk, a place that is fucked up beyond many of our imaginations. If I get it right, they are not new to the game, as ex-members of MASSPOLLUTION are part of this new group. The record title tells it straightforwardly how they sound, although SHIZAN has a unique touch to their hyper-distorted noise sound, and their chaos is interesting and varied enough to differ from most of their contemporaries, mainly due to the guitar playing with fast dumb solos and clever pedal usage. The tempo switches are unique, and they rarely if ever play D-beat (if anything, they are closer to the post-sheer-noisecore, pre-Stupid Life era of CONFUSE). It’s deafeningly distorted, but playful enough to be able to pay attention to all the crazy elements they threw into the mix. I had this fantasy forever about hardcore bands from far away, unknown places among shitty circumstances creating the best, craziest music. SHIZAN proved some dreams might come true.
San Francisco’s newest garage band comes above ground with a raw cassette that perfectly imitates their stage appeal. Rockin’, hook-laden, goofy (even when serious), wild, immature, satirical, and completely genuine. Watch out for these guys—you’ll be humming their songs before you know it.
Both fast and slow hardcore of a rather standard type. It’s all well done, but doesn’t quite have a real spark to it which could be more a matter of recording than the band’s fault. Decent, with plenty of potential.
I challenge you to find a San Francisco DIY institution more honest, more real, than SHOTWELL. Jimmy Shotwell has been a fixture and a presence for what feels like forever, and in SHOTWELL’s 25-year existence they have gone through countless iterations and incarnations while he somehow makes me feel like it’s 1996 every time I run into him. Musically, this is perhaps the strongest SHOTWELL release since the MIAMI split (which is—gulp—almost 20 years old). The ska parts are aggressive, the hooks are scraped off the streets, and the lyrical bite is as on-point as it’s ever been, weaving social, personal and political into one suffocating blanket. “Mystery Trip” is the choice cut, a painfully dark number that will be the most lighthearted number on the disc if you don’t look deeper. Rhythm section (currently Steve/GITS on drums and Fucko/STRYCHNINE, NAKED AGGRESSION on bass) is perfect, laying the foundation for a sonic journey through the sometimes filthy streets and often uncomfortable history of San Francisco.
Well-done but uninventive on their four thrash tracks here, but get a little more adventurous on a long droner. Also try their hand at a more melodic fast punk tune. Okay.
The best thing I’ve heard in a while! This tape has tremendous ferocity and boundless energy, delivered in an almost psychotic and wreckless manner, but without any loss of tightness. Siege has a nasty thrash attack with insane vocals and intelligent lyrics, captured perfectly by Radiobeat’s Lou Giordano. Get it—it’s great!
Mid-tempo Brit-punk that’s fairly energetic, though not thoroughly tight. Somewhat hindered by mediocre musical production, the lyrics do come across here—and they’re basically personal/political. Decent.
A weird juxtaposition of thrash and post-punk styles can be found within individual songs here. Sometimes it works well; at other times, it seems a bit awkward, especially when they lapse into an almost folk-rock style. Still, SILENT MAJORITY comes up with a new angle, and that’s what makes them interesting.
Debut cassette keeping the style of Kalamazoo, MI alive. SILICON HEARTBEAT sounds so much like the SPITS at times, it’s kinda crazy. Fuzzed-out, nasty mid-tempo punk with wild synth sounds peppered in. This tape is comprised of a mere four short songs, doing exactly what a good demo should: leaving the listener wanting more. I want more! Thankfully the attached note suggests they have plans to do another tape or record this fall. Consider one already sold!
Fantastic Great Lakes beach punk from Kalamazoo, Michigan. Real surfy vibes with a hint of horror punk, like a poppy MUMMIES or a rustic EPOXIES/SOVIETTES with deeper, growling vocals. The synth completely drives this band and it’s the immediate focal point of this whole EP. The guitar and bass have tones that mesh insanely well and are locked in sync throughout. Lovely slab here, and pretty solid autumn jams if I may say so myself.
Artsy noise punk from Maryland. Four songs that kinda sound like if PG.99 or ORCHID got rid of the noodly guitar parts and had a more aggressive singer. The band’s Bandcamp informed me that the release is actually called Troublesome Thoughts, as it’s not listed anywhere on the cassette.
The debut from two-man band SIMP out of Washington, this collection of songs presents a sound of traditional angry hardcore-ing with traces of the more modern S.H.I.T.-esque style. It’s decent. This guy swears to god he’s a Functional Human, but I won’t believe it until we get a proper LP to follow this up.
Raw and fast hardcore out of the Pacific Northwest. Seems to be just two dudes writing and recording everything on their own, which is always very impressive to me. Has a real powerviolence feel, and reminds me quite a bit of late-era CHARLES BRONSON and ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN. My only complaint is that this EP is extremely short. I use the term “blink and it’s over” often enough, but that is literally the case here. As soon as the album gets moving, it’s done. I guess that just leaves us wanting more. If that was their intention, then it worked! Now I’m simping for SIMP.
New San Francisco hardcore punk band featuring members of ACRYLICS. Stylistically, this is nothing new, nothing mind-blowing, but the heavily distorted riffs are catchy enough that they feel very familiar and I have heard them running through my mind since my first listen. Staying mostly in the mid-tempo range, SIMULATION plods through these four songs, and as soon as it’s over, you’re gonna wanna flip the tape and listen again. Pretty cool first release, and I can’t wait to hear where they go from here.
Completely predictable, indie infused, dad punk from Grand Rapids. A real hard listen over here.
I love Finnish hardcore, but I would assign the exploriation of the legendary scene on labels who help archiving and sharing those wonderful demos, recorded by teens decades ago. When I saw SIKKA is from New York and seem to refer on the classic sound my instant reaction was: here is another band with the annual renaissance fair for Finnish hardcore. Even if that was their master plan, fortunately it failed—and as experienced, in punk failures lead to great things. SIRKAA employees nonsense speed, short-tempered guitar parts mixed with occasional no wave-ish confusion, a mountain-high wall of feedback but they do it in a loose way and the extra space offers room for originality. Therefore they experiment a bit. They remind me of a less crazy CUNTROACHES or nosier PYHÄKOULU, if we have to name a classic. The primitivity is the difference, which lacks here, as SIRKKA has control over the notes they play, furthermore they are thoughtful with the noise they generate—therefore it differs, while does refer on predecessors, yet they don’t copy the exact aesthetics, but translate how they might hear these bands, which is the best approach to form your own sound. This demo is a real surprise.
The reissue of SIX MINUTE WAR’s first EP provides fans of intelligent political punk a great opportunity. Production here is very garagy, but more than compensated for by its thought-provoking lyrics and inventive arrangements. Standout songs like “Strontium 90″ and “Camera” contribute to the integrity of this abrasive, mid-tempo record.
The third DIY EP from SIX MINUTE WAR, who’ve now incorporated a drum machine into their primitive mid-tempo material. The song structures are a bit more experimental, but a wistful amateurishness serves to lighten the doom and gloom. “Weathermen” is haunting and exceptionally appealing.
Anthemic, self-professed dad-punk. Their mix of classic ’80s US punk and catchy ’77 UK works frighteningly well, and I dare say that this one is a fair mark above their debut effort. This isn’t what I would reach for unprovoked, but fukk me if it isn’t great.
These old chaps describe themselves as “dad-punk,” which is perhaps a nod to their age (and familial status), but they’re definitely not staid. By the sounds of this effort (ten tracks, all but two of the songs clocking in at two minutes or less), it’s not so much that they’re fast, or necessarily hard, but more a harkening to the glory days (for some) of the mid-to-late ’70s. Kind of like somewhere halfway between the HEARTBREAKERS and SLAUGHTER AND THE DOGS, in both speed and attack. And pretty catchy with it, too.
A testament to the DIY mentality, SKEEZICKS present some simple, disciplined thrash with a combination of originals and covers. Recording quality varies a bit, but the songs are always bouncy and highly energetic. Recommended.
Twelve-track CD release by SKEPTIC? from Birmingham, Alabama. Politically-driven lyrics with hardcore punk songs somewhere between RUDIMENTARY PENI and NAKED AGGRESSION. Slightly metallic but still nasty-sounding distorted guitars with maniac vocals. Chaotic yet well-written songs about our cruel world.
Mostly mid-tempo, driving punk with occasional ventures into SEPTIC DEATH-ish thrash. Lyrics have a desperate personal edge to them. Cool.
Doesn’t the title tell you everything you need to know? Twenty-one minutes of D-beat-influenced noisecore recorded live and presented in questionable fidelity…which is exactly what you want, if you read this review past the title of the release.
Repetition is used effectively here. This is a hard one to pigeonhole, and it ain’t my style to categorize. An interesting, occasionally exhilarating collection of diverse tunes that fare better on studio tracks where the band ranges from austere to downright savage.
This sounds like a garage band in the best sense of the term. I can definitely picture SKOTOS playing a wild gig in a tiny, damp, illegal venue with 50 people in a room that can barely fit 30—the kind of gigs where you are not just getting drenched in beer, but also in other people’s sweat because the venue is so tiny that there is nowhere to hide from your neighbour’s nasty armpits. Listening to this new tape EP, I can also imagine SKOTOS actually living in a New York garage. There are a lot of things going on here and, were it not for the genuinely raw and minimal aggressive hardcore production, I think they would lose me rather quickly. I enjoy the faster hardcore punk bits, especially the opening song “Penny for Pound” with its early FINAL CONFLICT/BODY COUNT vibe, but I don’t care for the heavy NYHC moments (but then to be honest, I never care for any). There are hints of powerviolence as well, especially because of the versatility, the threatening mean vibe of the songs, and the brutal changes, which works well on the whole. The ten-minute running time clearly fits with SKOTOS’s style. Typically the kind of band I would go see live expecting gladly to be punished with intense hardcore music, but I would not get their record (unless they are a friend’s band, in which case I feel guilty not to). All in all, a solid and very enjoyable hardcore band that can stylistically appeal to a lot of people, but might alienate a few for its deranged, raw production, which I would argue is precisely why the music works here (a clean production would have me run for my DISCLOSE records).
Grungy marching thrash with hoarse vocals similar to NEGATIVE APPROACH. This tape contains six speedy blasts plus a slow grinder which stands out from the rest.
A horror-filled tape (lyrics only, folks), full of guts and gore. This mood is enhanced by echoey, mysterious vocals, and slightly psyched instrumentation, some punk and some post-punk. Buy and die.
SKULLTURE is a San Franciscan guitar/drums duo who do San Franciscan things like play generator shows in out of the way places and just generally make a big ‘ol racket with their portable set-up. These guys got passion steaming out of their pores, with songs about hot-button issues like climate change, Ursula K. Le Guin, incels, the murder of Jamal Kashoggi, the Mother of All Bombs, and Donald fucking Trump. The music walks a line between stripped-down garage punk and full-bore noise rock. After riding BART, you’d be stoked to find these dudes cutting loose on the street. Throw a couple bucks in the hat and let the rage dissipate.
This Aussie EP is sort of a mixed bag. The SKUNKS do a sleazy modified version of “Silent Night” entitled “Violent Night,” a fast punk blast with sarcastic lyrics (“Dance with the Führer), a dynamic mid-tempo punker (“Mad Song”), and a totally mundane ’77-type number (“Persian Radio”). It’s hard to make an overall judgement when faced with such unevenness.
An excellent skatepunk band from Sweden. SLAM delivers solidly produced medium/fast thrash with bone-crunching guitars. Real cool.
SLAM’s first album is a self-produced release limited to 500 copies, with silk-screened covers made by the band. The music has a forceful presence that captivates as it catapults out impressive rhythms. Twin guitars electrify and head-bopping drum splashes keep a pace that puts the control of the ensemble in high-velocity zest-appeal. Not a thrash record, but a musical bonanza of headlong excitement.
An eight-song effort by this new half-male, half-female band. The vocals sound like those of the WRECKS; musically, it’s a mixture of garage punk and thrash. There’s lots of potential and great lyrics here. Plenty feisty.
Stenchcore hardcore punk full of tweaks and even some resemblances to the MISFITS, but with a style of its own. Killer drums in a psych ward, demonic voices from hell, frenzied killing cadences, and a crazy chamber-like feeling all around. Dead Air Studios hits again in the raw punk department. Vibes from the vocals mix with the sounds delivered by the instruments—deep-pitched screams from hell plus rabid chords and smashing guitars and bass lines. Suggested tracks: “Miserable Fuck” and “Umbilicus.”
Most all the songs here are “first takes,” unrehearsed three-minute jams. Considering that, it is remarkable that the tunes do indeed resemble songs—structures, beginnings, endings, etc. A bit of FLIPPER influence, PiL, etc.—an artistic nightmare.
One whole hour of droning FLIPPER-ish noise. I can get into SABBATH dirge to some extent, but this is just plain boring. The only asset is the short length of the songs (30 in all).
Can you picture MDC meets HALF JAPANESE? Sort of garagy thrash blitzes punctuated by ranting vocals and a unique drum roll. Short tunes, and short on melody. Different.
Wonga. Six-song cassette from Melbourne by a young…uh…noise group. This is the sound, along with groups like THUG, LUBRICATED GOAT, and the god-like FEEDTIME, that will deliver the goods on a new Australian (or anywhere for that matter) music. Using the BUTTHOLE SURFERS/SONIC YOUTH sludge as a starting point this group slowly trudges into their own voice with a great sense of doom and humor. Shit—just get the goddamn thing as soon as possible.
NEOS fans take note! Some former NEOS and JERK WARDs team up to unleash those short, sweet, psychotic blasts of sub-one-minute rage we’ve been missing. Noisy and nasty.
Nasty punk dirges from Denmark. I keep wanting this shit to get fast, but it’s just track after track of pure punishment. KILSLUG vibes masked in a dirty rock’n’roll package.
Live Tascam tape from this Danish band that rides between garage punk and flanged-out grunge. It’s a messy affair with false starts, occasional silly vocal takes, and segues into cover songs like “House of the Rising Sun,” the bane of Guitar Center employees everywhere. SLYTTER works best when they go raw and let the feedback swirl, like on the screamed “Viktoria” and droney, noise-rock-aping “Neglene Gror.” The rest sounds like a rehearsal tape— in this case, a warts-and-all time skip to 1990 Seattle. Check it out if that’s your thing. Their Bandcamp says there is a vinyl pressing coming soon, and I have to ask, do we need that?
Great psychedelic touches add a lot to this release. Abrupt intervention and special effects turn good raw, mid-tempo punk into something special. Neat female (I think) harmonies remind me a bit of SIOUXSIE or S.F.’s MUTANTS, but this goes beyond.
A limited edition 7” put out by the band and available through them directly. Side A features “She’s Not on the Menu;” the same version is on Flipside Comp #3 but titled “Heavy Menu.” This time around, the song has way better production. Side B sports the original version of “Life of a Bag Lady” with “This is the End” tagged on for good measure. Both of these songs are from an early demo. If you can get one, you most likely won’t be disappointed. Great cover art.
TOLBIAC’S TOADS present two cool tracks, one in a more melodic and catchy Britpunk style, the other in a thrash-meets-13TH FLOOR ELEVATORS-meets-BLURT style that’s quite unusual. SNIX’s pair are more predictable, but also well done, in an Oi style. Two up-and-coming French bands.
Minimal and raw basic punk, garage level, but well recorded and immediately pleasing. Coolness of guitar noise, snarly singing, and a refresher on what punk’s all about.
Five songs recorded in both ’82 and ’84, and are well done trash and punk with good melodies and execution. It’s either a live or garage tape, but quality is pretty decent. Catchy tunes, with a slight NEW YORK DOLLS influence on the slow numbers.
It’s garage tape time. That term applies to both the sound quality and the thematic humor. SOCIAL REVENGE isn’t real tight, but they’re fun.
A garage/noise/punk amalgam that combines some thrash with pet rock and general aggression that lashes out at everything. Fun and annoying.
Ah! The garage aesthetic—you either like it, or you puke. Now Jeff, he likes it (the aesthetic, that is). The Pus, it’s not his cup of disease. Me, some’s got charm, but in small doses, unless it’s pure rockin’ noise. This particular manifestation of the genre has its moments (more than not) but it does wear thin after a while.
Yet another installment in this band’s slug-fest, wherein we’re slugged and sludged with a half-dozen oozing, sleazy, garage noise compositions. I think they’re pissed about something.
I had presumed this quartet is from Montreal, given that several of their songs are sung in French, but I could be wrong. Regardless, they have that fairly speedy melodic hardcore sound/style nailed down real tight. Anthemic, with plenty of layered vocals that would make BAD RELIGION nod appreciatively, and enough metallic guitar to give STRUNG OUT a run for their money. All with a sparkling, very 21st century production.
As the title suggests, this is a promo tape that follows their Beach Impediment 7”. Surely the recording quality is more relaxed, almost rehearsal room-style, but this appears in the mixing and rawness of the sound that lacks the robustness of modern studios. It’s not sloppy, although it sounds a bit framelike as the fulfilling power is missing, which could be fun because it shows the sonic backbone of their songs in an unfiltered way (although this makes the tape interesting rather than incredible). Yet this is a daring move, since the focus here is on the quality of the songwriting rather than studio nuances. SOCIO LA DIFEKTA plays hardcore, the international kind. They mix Swedish-sounding D-beat songs with the part weird, part raging chaos of Italian and Spanish hardcore. As a cultural wink, they covered JEZUS AND THE GOSPELFUCKERS. It’s experimenting, a lot of clever action goes on within the song structures, never to the loss of energy, there is a constant rage, and the rawness of the recording makes it more natural.
Three straight powerful thrashers and two pounding metalchord numbers with “jugga-jugga” guitars galore. Hot shit…and a great band name, too.
This five-song effort is both interesting and frustrating, especially for non-Italians. SOGLIA DEL DOLORE has a medium-speed approach with plenty of simple rhythm guitar, along with a couple of thrashers. What’s frustrating is that they rely a lot on the vocals, which are at times more like narratives. It’s our loss, though.
A Welsh band whose tastes run a whole gamut of punk styles, but seem to focus on the US hardcore approaches. The songs, which are much longer than the typical American ditty, are rather rough and have a charm all their own.
A very hot little tape, showcasing this Mexican HC outfit in a live show. The sound quality is just OK, but good enough to give you an idea of how tight and powerful they can be. People who’ve seen them live certainly concur.
Pushead says they sound “BGK-influenced, but they don’t finish their songs,” and that they have “full Tesco lyrics.” Jeff says the vocals “don’t mesh too well,” and that they’re “like MDC.” with better recording, which they hope to do, we’ll know more about these guys. “Come to the Phone” is a classic.
I mean, this shit just sounds like the cover art, really. How many side shots of crudely drawn skulls with daggers through them can one punk suffer? I mean, fuck, despite my whinging, it’s a good demo. The songs are fast as all fuck, faster than your average contemporary (ooh la la) D-beat at least, which is a plus considering the seemingly endless wave of mid-paced bullshit lately. The vocals have a hiss and snarl to them that only comes out occasionally, but when it does, fuck me if it doesn’t rip. This fucker was over before it began and I’m glad for that; I hope this lot stick to 7″s and tapes and don’t succumb to the ultimate in modern punk trappings and resort to an LP—this shit is fast as all fuck and vicious sounding, a quality I think would be lost on a 12″.
So this punky indie rock bands reminds me of ARCHERS OF LOAF, KNAPSACK, and THE PIXIES. Good influences, but not nearly on that level. There needs to be more new bands like this, but I just wish the tunes here grabbed me more.
Fast energetic tuneful punk from the Aloha State, reminds me a bit of the FREEZE. Not sure about the lyrics, includes a tune called “Pussywhipped.” Hmmm.
Hot uptempo punk with other influences creeping in. Powerful production; reminds me a bit of TOXIC REASONS. Good.
Slow, intense, fuzzed-out hardcore with lots of feedback, sort of in the FANG or FLIPPER vein. There’s something really menacing and cool about this tape, which contains fifteen songs recorded live.
These garage thrashers have been putting out tapes for years now. And while this one’s as energetic, blazing, noisy, and politically sharp as ever, I think it’s high time for some vinyl. In the meantime, get this—sounds like a modern-day PAGANS.
I’m hesitant to even refer to this as a demo, considering how professional it is. Very polished recording, pro-dubbed cassettes, shrink wrap; an overall very nice looking and sounding complete package. SONOMAX play catchy indie pop with maybe a hint of post-punk churned in, and hail from Brooklyn, NY. It’s very poppy, but oddly not particularly catchy.
Only three songs which are a blend of early 60s, ska and late 70s punk. I’d liken them to the SHOP ASSISTANTS or a mellower PRIMITIVES. Very nice job.
Metal punk with more originality than your average speedcore act. Lyrics range from abstract to topical subjects. A fairly impressive showing here.
Chunky Swedish thrash. SÖTLIMPA have an attack that’s distinguished by a solid punchiness rather than shrill freneticism. “Öl” and “Miljöproblem” have nice anthemic choruses that stick with you; “3:e Världskrig” is good straight punk.
This record starts off rather generically. The first song “Skin on Fire” has a ’90s-hard-rock-wanting-to-be-garage-rock sound that immediately turns me off. I didn’t like it back then and I still don’t like it. That’s unfortunate because if I wasn’t obligated I probably would have just turned this CD off. Track two “Yoo Hoo” has a much more interesting ’90s style going for a dirty, distorted bluesy garage rock sound. The record gets more enjoyable from there, but their sound is a bit random. There is an attempt at ’80s gothy post-punk complete with a sampling of the riff from “Public Image” on “Make Me” which kind of makes me smile. They go for a serious REPLACEMENTS homage with “See Me Again.” They will occasionally veer back into the hard rock thing a few times, but not too much to make me turn the record off.
Frantically awesome, this six-songer is a chunky, zooming speed-fest, featuring such a raunched out vocal beset (“Mom Grab Those Little Ones Off the Street…”) continues to sweep the senses as the Swedish mayhem goes totally apeshit. Raw, abrasive, intense, energetic, full-blown torching action will make this a new fave. Great!
Funny, mid-tempo melodic punk not unlike early DESCENDENTS. Lyrics have a unique personal angle also similar to the DESCENDENTS. Great stuff here.
Martin Meyer is arguably one of the primary architects responsible for our contemporary punk landscape. For better or worse, I don’t know that we end up with the chain/egg punk dichotomy without LUMPY AND THE DUMPERS and their gooey aesthetic, or his label Lumpy Records and their “Feelin’ Eggy?” promo emails (not to mention Lumpy put out records by most of the bands originally labeled “egg-punk”). That aside, I’m also just a huge fan of the dude’s work. So, it came as quite a shock to just learn that he’s been making music under the SOUP ACTIVISTS name for the past two years, and this eleven-song cassette is his second release. Now, I go in blind when it comes to projects I’m unfamiliar with, so I had no idea who this was on my first listen. But my initial reaction was “Why did MRR give me this? It sounds like…SICKO or some shit!” To be fair, I think I was primarily picking up on the earnestness of the music—as I sat with it longer, I could tell there was actually a lot more going on. Still my primary point of comparison, at least on those first few tracks, would be something like the ramshackle pop punk of early FIFTEEN. Later tracks maybe feature more of the lo-fi jangle/strained tunefulness you’d find in an Eric Gaffney-sung SEBADOH track or some polish-free pop akin to, say, a DOLLY MIXTURE. Now that I know who’s behind the music, I can’t not hear that this is a Marty joint. But it would be hard to overstate how blown away I was to find that out. I’m still not sure that I really love the music here, but I have certainly loved the time I’ve spent so far trying to figure that out.
Decatur, Illinois breeds a special kind of degenerate. Midwest, bleak, broke, and hopeless. These boys are trying to break the cycle of misery through rock’n’roll, and who could blame them. They obviously are trying their hearts out, playing their ZEKE-meets-KYUSS-meets-SLIPKNOT brand noise with some MADBALL breakdowns. You could easily see them as second-to-last on a twenty-band bill in some bleak megaplex boasting a KORN reunion. There they are, rocking their hearts out and stealing the other bands’ beer. The title track ain’t bad. Give them a break and buy their records.
Lo-fi treble-heavy power pop from Philadelphia. Sickeningly catchy while still coming across gruff enough that I have no doubts that the punkers can dig it. I giggled a little bit at the hand-written note within the cassette stating “This cassette tape contains *LO-FI* garage rock.” Not mincing words, not pulling any punches, calling a SPADOS a SPADOS. The only label info contained anywhere on the cassette or online merely states CHUB-001. Your guess is as good as mine.
Chicago, IL brings us SPAM RISK, a weird/poppy post-punk band featuring noodly guitar work and vocals bordering on novelty-song style both in their delivery and the subject matter. A couple of the songs on here are super driving and catchy as hell. “Google Bookchin” is the real stand-out track on this seven-song debut cassette. Definitely interested in hearing more of this kooky stuff.
This cool platter is kind of hard to describe. “Spiders” is a warpo trashed-out number with psychobilly vocals and a sporadic slide guitar; the flip is more of a traditional rock ballad that doesn’t quite click. Different.
Wow. This is a super catchy and compelling combination of power pop and punk. Mid-tempo and melodic, it’s no surprise to me that at least one of the dudes in this band was in MYSTERY DATE (their other members also have impressive resumes, but we can’t talk all day about what other bands they used to be in…). At times it’s mid-tempo, other times they pick it up a bit. That’s often done within a song, something I don’t always appreciate, but I like it here. In addition to power pop and punk, I think you can hear mod elements, glam elements, street elements, and just plain old rock’n’roll. The lead guitar is there, but it’s not too much, and the transitions within songs are just really nicely done. Similarly, the lead vocals and how they incorporate the backing vocals is seamless. I’m not that big a fan of the JAM, so it surprises me that I hear them here. And a DICTATORS cover? Nice. Excellent record.
Possibly the fastest band in the world, playing blazing thrash with off the wall disjointed breaks. Lyrics seem to be appropriately silly. Crazy.
Not as dumb as the title might indicate. Most of the lyrics are typically “hardcore,” as is the music, most likely due to the fact that this is a brand new band (featuring Orlando on vocals). There’s one hilarious song here called “Maggots,” which is a real horror show.
Fuck. Getting assigned this record to review makes me realize my misstep in not including SPEED PLANS in my yearly top ten. Forgive me. I shall sing their praises here. Describing Pittsburgh’s SPEED PLANS to someone who hasn’t seen them live is challenging. Looking at them, one may be doubtful that this unlikely bunch of characters with the odd band name could be any good. My good friend Collin H. once remarked that the singer looks like the actor Will Arnett. Not that far off as he’s really funny and can often crack you up with wicked between-song banter. The bass player may look like someone who just rode his bike back from a PHISH concert (George is cool as hell), and, shit, the whole band is such a wonderful tossup of personalities such as which makes a lot of Pittsburgh bands so great. Once they start playing, I guarantee, you’ll be scraping your jaw off the sticky Rock Room floor by the end. These guys can play and are tight like Joe Biden’s butthole. They completely won me over one night by doing the most amazing cover of “Rambling Rose” I’ve ever witnessed. But what about the record, you say? This, I believe, is their second tape put to vinyl (they have a third, I’ve yet to hear) and like their live set, does not let up from beginning to end. Musically I’d say they’re a semicoherent mix of classic thrash like NEOS or JERRY’S KIDS with some ANTI CIMEX 12” EP and bits of Japan’s MOBS with modern day sounds of, say, S.H.I.T. All this is overlaid with crazy guitar antics in the style of the aforementioned Wayne Kramer/Sonic Smith variety with maybe a little GRAND FUNK thrown in. Favorite moments are hard to choose but if pressed I’d say “Four Letter Word” for its killer guitar breaks and the epic “Kill Us Both” into “Green War” into “Revenge” for sheer ferocity. Hell, most of the songs run into the next and the longest is a minute-five. How can you get any better than that so why are you lagging? Pick it up chump.
SWEET, MOTT THE HOOPLE, etc. While this outfit is more garagy than their influences, they do seem a bit out of place today (which “All the Young Dudes Are Dead” testifies to). “Prison Rape” is the most intense of the four songs, at least lyrically.
NASCAR punk from Minnesota! No really, it’s a thing. Most folks looking at this would be expecting some hard ZEKE and NINE POUND HAMMER worship, which isn’t that far off, but there is an element of pop punk flowing through this well-worn manifold and it’s not such a bad thing in this context. The lyrics to “Doin’ It for Dale” are pretty funny. Oh hell, I have to say it…give it a spin!
RA!D has the detached, clinical approach to punk fare that I associate with early UK post-punk. SPETTERS plays more conventional HC with a lot more downtempo slogging than usual. A bit of an odd pairing, but the cavernous audio quality seems like the through line. This split made more sense to me when I imagined watching these bands at the same show in an abandoned warehouse.
Reading, PA DIY group SPETTERS puts out their last album, with a mixture of new tracks and a few from previous releases. A red herring two-minute piano opener gives way to guitar and bass that get a good workout, riffing up and down the neck with fervor, cloaked in reverb; drums make surprise changes, rests, and generally kept me on my toes throughout; vocals start relaxed, gravelly, and build to a strained scream at the top of choruses—the sum of all of it leading to catchy, genuinely engaging songs in the form of a deathrock frontman meets surf-laden shoegaze (maybe?). From their YouTube videos, it looks like they put on some high-energy party shows, blending their technical rhythms that boil over into a push-and-shove crescendo. If this is the last go of SPETTERS, then get your tape before they’re gone!
Down and dirty gothic rock along the same lines as 45 GRAVE and TSOL. The songs are kept to a slower pace and become a bit overbearing at times with their habit of dragging on. The guitar riffs add a nice touch and create good melodies but the rough production keeps this one together.
Debut release from this Northern Colorado band. SPIRIT OF REVOLT hits the streets running with six songs of politically-driven punk rock. Mid-tempo drums, driving repetitive riffs, shouted anarchist/anti-capitalist lyrics, “Oi!s” peppered in for good measure, what’s not to like?
This came out a few months ago. You need it. SPLITTING HEADS sound like they went back to 1981 and then they decided not to come back, and then recorded a demo in 1982 after they kicked everyone’s ass and now it’s 2021 and we’re listening to it just going “ddaaaaaaaaamn.” Fuck y’all, this tape is so ungodly good.
This one’s a little older, but while digging around for info on Pittsburgh’s BATTLEFIELDS, I stumbled upon the related and equally awesome SPRÄCKTA’s 2019 demo. And boy, does it slap. Neck-breaking bouncy D-beats give way to old-school hardcore with a menacing mix of US and UK inflections for an effectively harsh and violent punk pounding. A very strong slammer.
Halifax’s anarcho deadbeaters start with a great classical bass line in the UK82 tradition, but frankly, afterwards I utterly disliked the reverb or delay (ab)used here to create the ambience, lowering the quality of the vocals, instruments, and force that we could have otherwise encountered here. It all comes off as a messy, reverbed and delayed version of D-beat that doesn’t appeal to me. It lacks precision and equalization, losing the vibe of the drums and guitars. Nice artwork for the cover, though…
Powerhouse thrash with some cool melodic breaks. Only four songs, but a neat tape.
Here’s a brain-cell-blasting total freak out from Pennsylvania. This one is essentially electronic noise, some drumming and shouted vocals. The songs are structured but no riffs or melodies, just hisses buzzes and drones. Drumming ranges from solid stone-outs to industrial dirges to spastic blast beats. Trying to get weird? Look no further.
Has-been garage punkers from the mid-2010s that started a band specifically to make weird concept albums. This is from their Bandcamp page. Sound like a good thing to you? Kill me. Their first offering that I’m blessed to review here is a punk magnum opus about maggots invading the earth. Oh wait. Sound familiar? Yes, the PLASMATICS did this much better on their last album Maggots: The Record decades ago. This apparently comes with a comic zine that could give this a little more cohesive power, but really, it’s just lukewarm HIVES-like garage slop with deadpan vocals that the CHILD MOLESTERS or DICTATORS did much better. It’s not totally awful and there’s moments to be had, such as the SPITS-like “Collective, Correction, Collection,” but overall it’s hard for me to care. Wendy O. is coming back for them and she’s not happy.
The most thrashed-out French group I’ve heard. Songs like “Chemical War” and “Why Not” have a drum-heavy rhythmic emphasis, while others (especially “Disorder”) really rip. The music is pretty hot; too bad about the stupid shock value band name.
SSSSSSS is a two-piece recording project where one member handles all the music and the other takes care of vocal duties. This tape jumps right into high gear with some revved-up, weirdo drum-machine-driven fast punk stuff which is super cool. Throughout the course of their ten-song cassette, SSSSSSS dabbles in a number of different genres that feel more inspired by drone or black metal, which feels less exciting to me. I wasn’t able to find out any info about the band, but I’m not entirely sure if that’s intentional or if they are just truly un-Google-able. My biggest gripe is that the demo is dubbed very quietly. When I realized it was the same program repeated on both sides my hopes got raised that maybe the B-side was dubbed a bit louder, but alas, it was not—in fact, it was even quieter than the A-side.
The Philadelphia scene is full of talent and STAGGER is just one example of it. This is their first LP, and their first proper release since Thermobaeric Blues EP from 2018 (you should check that one too, it’s got a SUN RA cover!). What do we get here? A very cool cassette with nine songs, volume, distortion, and feedback all the way up to red; it reminds me of the raw energy of Mexican or Colombian hardcore from the ’90s. This is just eighteen or so minutes of pure D-beat mayhem sometimes verging on noise punk. That guitar tone is pure filth. I can’t really understand the lyrics but vocalist Mike’s tone is all you need to really get it. We’re talking about pissed-off commentary on the current state of the American empire. You can also tell Mike has an incredible ability to generate a pit in a split second just with an “uggg!” Their violent cover of “You Tear Me Up” by the BUZZCOCKS is just awesome.
There’s one live and one studio side here, neither of which display any great excitement. Although there are some catchy moments, it’s your basic ’78-style plodding punk.
You’ve for sure seen these knuckleheads around if you’ve spent any time in the past twenty years or so at shows, skateparks, or the local dives of Frisco. Boasting prime members of the TEXAS THIEVES, HIGH AND TIGHT, and FRACAS, among others, you get exactly what you’d expect here, and more. It’s hardcore skate rock with a tinge of Oi! and a heavy leaning on early BAD RELIGION and Nardcore like ILL REPUTE. You could totally imagine this blasting out of the old Jak’s house in the Lower Haight on a Tuesday afternoon. Foz’s vocals are seriously on point here, and the song titles, while tongue in cheek, lyrically express some thought out social and political commentary. Go figure. There’s more than Pabst and shots going on with these fellas. Of course there’s also some wonderful no-brain-cells-required party anthems like “Blackout Drinking” and “Evel” to round out your last call at Benders. I’d probably lose the meth vs. cocaine argument with these barflys, but oh well. Buy the guys a shot on me.
A trio of guitar and harmony-drenched “college rock” punk efforts, along the lines of Creator-era LEMONHEADS and the first MOVING TARGETS LP. These aging ears are delighted that the kids are still kicking out the melodic jams in this genre.
Although largely generic thrash, there are moments when STATE OF CONFUSION show that if they stick with it, they could develop their own sound. This is not to say that this tape isn’t tight or powerful (which it is), but it’ll take awhile for such a young band to develop their “personality.” (This applies to 90% of today’s new HC bands.) Overall, a good start.
A hot nine-song release of hard thrash and 77-ish punk with lyrics concerning war, oppression, animal rights, etc. The standout cut is “Apathetic Reaction”, a biting critique of that scene. Cool.
A four-song tape that delivers punky/moddish pop music. I found the vocals a bit too falsetto, and the songs run on a bit, but there’s some decent music here.
From the first drop, Scotland’s STATIC SHOCK owns the speakers. Full-throated hardcore punk with a nasty vocal delivery and an approach that teeters on the edge of crossover (I’m talking guitars mostly) with a tinge of street punk while refusing to let go of their hardcore roots. You can picture the whole pub singing along to “I Still Believe In D.I.Y.” and it looks pretty great.
STATIONS OF THE CROSS are a new NC band who play punk and thrash with metallic tinges. Eleven songs, clean production, personal lyrics. Good job.
STAY THE FUCK AT HOME is a New Orleans one-man thrashcore project that I’m assuming started during the quarantine. The vocals are a total homage to INFEST and the instrumentals are a variety of thrash metal, crossover, Southern rock, breakdowns, and whatever he feels like playing at the time, but there is always some spastic fastcore popping up in each song. The level of irony in the band name, song titles, and musical shifts make this a fun record instead of just a mash of weird choices. This one is hard to define but easy to listen to. Great house-moshing music.
When STAZIONE SUICIDA thrash, it’s a wicked noise they make. Unfortunately, they get bogged down too often in horrific post-punk depresso stuff that doesn’t do much for me. Great singer, though.
This thrash band’s main distinction is that they take old songs (like “N.S.U.,” the title cut, and “Do You Love Me?”) and thrash ’em out to the max. Entertaining.
After a ten-year or so run, STELLA RESEARCH COMMITTEE treads on with what I am reading as the trio’s seventh and final release/onslaught. Which is very much the experience with Killed Alive…bombarding, repetitive spoken word to a backdrop of dark ambient noise and loops. This band has discovered power electronics and deploys the usual expectations of the genre within each DNA-influenced track. The result comes off like Mark E. Smith fronting an ATARI TEENAGE RIOT cover band. That might be good?
Jeff Bale threatened to do this review himself unless I gave this a rave review. So I guess I better…. It’s excellent ’77-style punk with SoCal ’81 tinges, making for some hot, melodic, and tuneful pop-punk. (Jeff…good enough?)
Five covers here: BEATLES, PINK FLOYD, etc. The originals may be sedate, but these guys totally rock out on “Ruby Tuesday” and “Comfortably Numb”. Pretty neat.
Not quite as frantic as their fellow Italians NEGAZIOONE or INDIGESTI, STIGE favors a slightly melodic thrash sound, characterized by a hyperspace guitar sound. Good job.
This Italian punk outfit plays pre-eminently catchy mid-to-fast tempo stuff, and seems to have an exceptionally fine sense of orchestration. Production is a problem, though—the drums and vocals are up front in the mix, guitars in the back, which detracts from the level of power this record could have had. Nonetheless, the songwriting is excellent, particularly on the gripping “Corri e sopravivi.” A promising release.
Somewhat garagy thrash, coming out of the ruins of ARSENAL (not the NY/SF combo) and is pretty decent, though the bulk is live recordings. Actually, the playing is pretty tight, and hey, how can you go wrong with titles like “Republican Children,” “Team Gilligan,” “When Mom Find Out I Drink,” “Conceptual Realizations of a Life as Applied to the Oakland Coliseum,” and “Reagan Is a Poseur!”?
Okay, these dorks have been around for a bit and it’s time you heard their innovative raging thrash with silly but thoughtful words. With tunes like “Senator Hart Humped a Dumpling,” “Pollution Rules,” and “Buttman,” how can you go wrong? You can’t, get this.
Insanity. 39 loony thrash tunes which would make the most serious hard-ass punker crack a smile, and at 5.1025641 cents a song, it’s a real bargain. Song title of the month: “Skinheads Move to Hungary.”
Helsinki, Finland-based poppy garage punk band STINKBIRD brings us a five-song, scent-centric cassette EP. Catchy, mid-tempo songs peppered with noodly guitar work and a vocalist teetering towards the bar-rock realm of things. Surprisingly, it doesn’t stink nearly as bad as the song titles/lyrical content would have one believe.
SoCal goofy-core punkers with tongues in cheeks and something to prove. Sort of a jumble of Group Sex CIRCLE JERKS, SPITS, and UNDERGROUND RAILROAD TO CANDYLAND. You get dueling funny guy vocals throughout, and the opener “Stab Twist Crack Oblivion” is the winner for me. All songs clock in under a minute and rage pretty hard, but they lose me on the purposely dumb reggae numbers at the end. The cover is a nice parody of Pettibon’s most parodied BLACK FLAG flyer. It’s a no brainer, literally.
Straight HC with words concerning personal issues such as equality, insincerity, and straight edge, a tad more original than the average “positive” act.
This thing is hot, front to back, like if you thought there was going to be a track in the middle of the B-side that let up, you’d be wrong. Its straight WIPERS/HOT SNAKES love but with a little bit of a heavier, hardcore feel. That’s not to say that it is lacking in hooks or catchy riffs, but the rougher/angrier vocals and darker feel to the rhythm section give a little more weight to the driving, downstroke guitar attack. The only downside is that unfortunate effect on the snare drum (slap echo?) that’s hard to unhear once you’ve noticed it.
By the album title, I thought I was in for some egg-punk silliness, but instead found an Oakland, CA hardcore foursome that sounds like Sister-era SONIC YOUTH. This is a four-song single-sided 12″, with a screen-printed B-side of “The World Needs Laughter” in an eye chart logo. The guitar and violin outro on “Lead Blanket” form a nice break before the heavy-hitting title track that slaps in half the time of its predecessor. STRANGELIGHT’s tour starts off in Oakland this month, so get after it.
Two songs with rhythm, tempo and guitars sounding very pop punk in the gruff, slightly rough way some late ’90/early ’00s US and UK bands could be. But otherwise, this is very genre-neutral punk. You can tap your foot and sing along without much trouble, and the songs know how to quit when they’re ahead. All that and a sense of humor—I don’t ask for much else.
Here is a one-person death-grind metal-punk project out of St. Charles, Illinois. This is the kind of shit you hear late night at the rock bar when the metal dude is working. It’s got enough guitar squeals to make you make you puke up hoppy micro-pint, too. It’s also got an anime theme in the cover art and between-song samples, which I don’t really know what to make of. All and all, this one ain’t great, but it could be much worse.
Pure, dreary lo-fi pop injected with a(n over)dose of damaged freak trash. STREET MAGIC wants you to love them, but keep making you question your own taste. I can only imagine a live manifestation fraught with confusion, but captured on tape this Seattle outfit is like a gift from the space gods. Choice cut “Communion” is worth the price of admission on its own, especially coming after the moonless desert excursion “TOYL” that opens the second side. Sounds for a (the) next generation to enjoy today.
A four-song mid-tempo Brit-punk style tape. It’s OK, but not very inspiring. I think this style reflects too closely the depressed nature of the English working class. Their lackluster, unimaginative lives come across, not so much lyrically, but in the dull repetitiveness and unexciting music. Somehow, punk should attack that existence with hope and verve. I dunno, maybe I have no right to say this from afar.
An anti-Nazi skin band is always a pleasure to see, let alone an anti-nationalist skin band. Delivering their message in a slow/medium Oi style, most of the songs are adequate, with one that’s more catchy. From Germany, but available from…
We’re only one track in and I’m really digging this. Shit’s going on in Tennessee. I suppose if we’re looking to label this, I’d call it garage pop, with a certain somberness. The pace at times seems almost restrained, not in a bad way. Sometimes it’s mid-tempo and other times it’s a little jumpy—again, not in a bad way. The balance between instruments and vocals is excellent, and the vocal harmonies are easy to listen to. It’s straightforward and it’s well done. I find myself just kind of swaying in my chair. I’ll listen to this one again and again. If you’re into CDs, you might get one of the 200 that were made.
Hmmm…they remind me of a slightly rougher ADOLESCENTS—definitely that SoCal thrash with shredding music, teen snotty vocals, and melody, too. If they keep working at it, they’ll put out some wonderful vinyl.
Brian Edge sez “soothing after a hard day’s thrash,” “eclectic.” This band has a ’75-era garage sound—audible lyrics, driving rock, pre-punk feel. Can you judge a band by its covers? VELVET’s “Pale Blue Eyes” and BYRDS’ “Rock ’n’ Roll Star.”
Incredibly cool and gnarly vocals set to frantic thrash, with a unique flair. Sound quality is decent, but does take away a hit of the impact. A band to watch for.
Great creative punk with loans of innovation and unique twists and turns. Angry personal and political words topped with tight instrumentation. Not generic by any means.
These guys get “worse” all the time. They even make DEMENTED YOUTH and LENNONBURGER look good. If you don’t love the thrashed-out noise these jokers make, then you better go back to ’77. Armed with psychotic stuff like this, I’m ready for the future.
Hey, are these guys selling out? On this latest tape from Norb and company, you can actually hear the music and stuff. And it still sounds like shit! No, actually it’s still manic, noisy, and psychotic Midwestern thrash with real class. Get a copy today!
Six clean-sounding live tunes from this good upcoming band who have a fast melodic sound similar to early 7 SECONDS. Best cut: “Dicks Deli.”
Pretty pedestrian thrash with a considerable amount of gusto. Lyrically, these guys possess a heavy anti-drug and alcohol slant. Pretty good.
Totally brutal!! This is the most savage, ferocious thrash I’ve heard since SIEGE. Full on confrontational power thrash back with intelligent words. Keep this away from small children.
Five powerful songs in the vein of CRUCIFIX or early RAW POWER with intelligent words questioning rape, vivisection, religion, governments, etc. Solid music and thoughtful lyrics. A great job!
An 8-song effort, sort of metal punk. It reminds me a bit of PERSONALITY CRISIS and BLACK FLAG. They’re gonna put out other bands too, like the MANIC DEPRESSORS and LAST GASP. Good job, lads.
Totally hot HC-type tape, folks. No let-up, meat and potatoes thrash, delivered with commitment. Lest you howl “generic,” go to a new wave show, then go home and play this. It’ll be a breath of fresh air.
With song titles like “Punks Are Rad,” “Gov’t Sucks,” “Skate or Die,” etc., you gotta wonder if this is for real. I doubt it, but the world is full of surprises.
Holy shit, this is a white-hot ripper from Minneapolis’s SURROGATES. If you like some nasty metallic hardcore punk à la WARTHOG, ELECTRIC CHAIR, and FAIRYTALE, you’ll dig this. Lead singer Lulu delivers frantic vocals over crunchy guitars and furious hardcore beats, letting up on the gas exactly zero times throughout the entirety of the cassette. I recommend “Waste” and “Repellent” as standouts, but every track here is worth a listen.
This is a split live cassette from two garage-punk bands from London, ON. It has live tracks recorded in Detroit, Cleveland, and Rochester while the bands were on a weekend tour together. Oddly enough I was personally in attendance at the Rochester gig. Small punk world. This is a fun idea, the tapes look great, and it sounds pretty cool considering it was recorded on a Tascam at three different venues, but I think I would rather just listen to studio recordings by each band, personally. If you are currently unfamiliar with the bands, KLAZO is a nasty two-piece fucked-up garage-punk duo with an LP out on It’s Trash Records. SUSANS would also fit within the garage-punk world, but are a little more straightforward thank KLAZO. I don’t know that they have any studio releases to date, but after revisiting this live set of theirs I am certain that I would like to hear one.
SVEA SKANDAL contributes four adequate compositions on this EP, and despite some good musicianship and vocal choruses, it doesn’t quite connect. “Nar Solen Gatt Ner” comes close to a spirit of aggressive catchiness, but this record basically contains medium- and fast-tempo punk with the vocals imitating the chord changes. Okay.
Two punky tunes with experimental tinges and a real smooth instrumental. Pretty good lyrics and an interesting sound.
With a name like the SWAMPSURFERS, I was expecting psychobilly weirdness, but this is relentless thrash not unlike RAWPOWER. Crazy stuff within.
Some very fast-paced punk with good tunes, plenty of back-up vocals and choruses, and driving but simple guitar. Sounds like the BRISTLES, in that there’s a heavy UK influence.
Wow! It’s been a minute since I’ve been this bowled over by a release. I don’t know what I was expecting of this Philadelphia four-piece, but it definitely wasn’t oddball, free-jazzy clean hardcore on the subject of keeping a neat house (primarily by way of broom). This cassette is eight tidy tracks that zip by in a spick-and-span seven-and-a-half minutes and sound like some amalgam of MINUTEMEN, DEVO, NEON CHRIST, and a little contemporary herky-jerk. It’s strange, funny without being jokey, and absolutely exceptional. Get on it, you neat freaks!
Arizona thrash punkers SYCOPHANT play like a very smooth hypnotic alien attack. Reminds of DISCHARGE meets later DRI and SACRED REICH. Repetitive, impassioned lyrics are spat forth with haste and then pulled back with hesitation, which creates for an interesting dynamic! Like SYCOPHANT knows about some seriously evil scientific conspiracy and is not sure if we can handle the information. I’m really digging these super metaled-out DISCHARGE rhythms drenched in ’80s thrash effect and groove. This is very tight, and I love the weird science retro- technologic-overkill cover art. For weirdos, freaks, and fans of D-beat and thrash. Shit, the more this goes on, I’m pulled in the direction of ANTI CIMEX, INEPSY, Repo Man, and Night of the Comet…relentless punk, bizarre and rips hard!
Quite a variety of sounds here, from classical keyboard to punk noises, all with sung female vocals. Very diverse, I enjoyed some of this, but not all.
Hot straight thrash with personal lyrics. Tight, competent stuff with a good sense of melody and clean production. Good tape.
This reminded me a lot of GLUE, particularly their sound on the 7”s, with a slight rock’n’roll aspect in the vein of WICCANS, although this is more subtle. However, I can’t say I was particularly interested throughout. That noisy vocal effect is so bloody overplayed at this point. The tunes are generally decent themselves, but in our day and age, I feel they just don’t really stand out.
A basic four-song cassette enlivened by cool buzzsaw guitar and clean bomping bass licks, developing a cross between the VANDALS and JFA. The band has a good sense of humor and the enjoyable rough production only adds to the potential of this band’s material.
My presumption is that this German trio named themselves after the seminal RAZZIA 1983 LP of that name—RAZZIA also being a German band. Given that, to paraphrase ALL (sort of), “we don’t speak German, we just love German bands that sing in their native tongue, particularly those from the ’80s.” While this doesn’t quite rank with the best of RAZZIA, it nonetheless channels enough of those slightly off-kilter melodic late ’80s / early ’90s hardcore bands such as FARSIDE, PEGBOY, and SQUIRRELBAIT, that I can’t help but love this disc. And they do sing in German. So no complaints whatsoever. Save that I still have no idea what “Tag Ohne Schatten” means, let alone what they (or RAZZIA, for that matter) are singing about. But it sure does sound good!
I don’t understand why reputed anti-Nazis would adopt a name with SS in it, but TAMPERE SS’s EP lives up to the high expectations generated by their choice cuts on the Propaganda ’83 compilation album. The band members have DISORDER and CHAOS UK logos on their jackets, so you can easily surmise that they produce raging thrash in the respected Finnish tradition, except for an occasional slow number like “Taisteluhymai.”
I swear that before I looked at the internet, I thought “These freaks sound like they’re from Buffalo.” Turns out, these freaks are from Buffalo. Total tripped-out post-punk, but in the truest sense of the term, like “this is what happens after punk.” Like TRAGIC MULATTO with ska parts (and also with a trombone, like not just as an accent instrument, but like a full-time trombone), TAP WATER are the genuine article.
The members of TAPPO and I appreciate the same type of hardcore—fast, chaotic and wild. The reason why I love early age primitive hardcore is it reeks from the confused yet enthusiastic frustration of its creators. You cannot stamp an expiry date on rage although you could compare and lack any kind of evolution of a certain sound. The difference between TAPPO’s and, e.g., KAAOS’s fundamental sound is basically the development of recording technology. Therefore I cannot do otherwise but enjoy the raging hardcore of TAPPO that includes a singer with a mutating, screaming voice, straight ahead simple but aggressive riffs with screaming that comes across the sky solos. Cymbal clicks are building a wall of distortion, the pace is racing with anger, still there is enough space for radikal rock and roll. Only the release date of this demo remains foreign. TAPPO gives a master class of Fininsh hardcore replication, which sounds dumb because they are a hardcore band from Finland. What I am ventilating over here is the fine line between coping the same way with different frustration and breaking free from tradition. I too believe TAPPO’s influence is one of the best era of hardcore, therefore I cannot resist enjoying their demo, only when I lean on ration do I miss something. Overall this is a great demo.
Quick, melodic thrash with sing-along choruses, comparable to early 7 SECONDS. Lyrics cover war, poverty, violence, etc. An act to watch, keep up the good work!
The metal side of hardcore, with occasional ventures into thrash. The guitar and drums are “heavy,” but it moves nonetheless.
Blackened noisecore filled with hints of powerviolence, coming up from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Use headphones for a better experience, as the vocals are heavily echoed and synth mayhem is strong in this one. Suggested tracks: “Dawn” and “No” (“Future dreams / Days of peace / Broken bombs / Nature keeps / Hunger fed / All released / Open arms / Can human escape? / No.”). This debut consists of five relentless tracks in less than six minutes, containing a noisy intro with detonations and even fighting video game sounds. Extra credit for the lyrics being on their Bandcamp site, which happen to be synthetic yet very good. Great noisy start for TAÜNT, keep ‘em coming!
A seven-song demo with excellent lyrics. It’s on the raw side sound-wise, but otherwise it’s a fairly dynamic representation of this exciting new thrash combo. I hope they put out some vinyl soon.
The DEPO-PROVERA side features some very catchy tunes, both slow and thrashed-out. They’re powerful, melodic, and intelligent, and worth the $1 price all by themselves. The TEMPERAMENTAL PSYCHOTICS, on the other hand, play slower, leaden punk that doesn’t do much for me.
I can’t help thinking ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN when I hear these guys. They do have some decent pop numbers, but most of it is minor key dance songs or crooning ballads. I’m sure they’ll be a college radio hit.
TERMINAL CHOICE have that clean melodic SoCal sound with caring, thoughtful lyrics. Only four songs but definitely worth it. Good job, guys.
Fast punk and thrash with that grungy garage edge. But on one tune they ask “Who would ever think that a band like us would have all the pussy on a big bus?” Give it up, guys.
The first song had me thinking they were gonna go in a not-quite-D-beat direction—their sonic aesthetic immediately made me think of TOTALITÄR’s side of the DISMACHINE split specifically, albeit with a less metallic and a little more jangly guitar sound. They certainly would’ve done this style well given the guitar sound, vocalist’s pipes, and the drummer’s chops. But instead, Hamburg’s TESTBUNKER goes for a more straightforward but very timeless and salt-of-the-earth melodic punk sound that’s defiant, melancholic, and celebratory in different combinations, and sometimes all at once. Loose gang vocals abound, and the guitar might be slightly out of tune, but the latter only adds to this band’s charm. I imagine these songs are best experienced live in the kind of place that could get busted at any moment.
TH’INBRED rely on songwriting finesse and the basic HC trappings to hybridize an effort that’s very special. Their off-beat humor melds with the music quite effectively—resulting in thrash with an unusual and likable difference. I look forward to their upcoming record.
Crossover stuff which leans a little more to the metal side. Powerful, hoarse vocals, can’t decipher the words, but “Punk Virgin” sounds a bit suspicious…
Some heavy metal licks laid over really powerful thrash. The songs are short and well punctuated, with strong drumming. I can’t hear many of the words, but if “Nuclear Threat” and “D.F.Y. (Drug Free Youth)” are indicative, they’re fine. Highly recommended.
This album starts out with some weird noise intro, then launches into some fairly bland rock music. For some reason, I’m compelled to compare this to something akin to SHELTER ditching hardcore in favor of becoming a generic alterna-rock band. Not my particular cup of tea, but I would offer one piece of advice to the folks in ADAMSEED: the internet can be your friend. Use it to your advantage. When searching for any info on this band, it turns out they have zero internet presence, at least as far as I could tell.
Four very well produced tracks of slower, more powerful British-style punk, without the Oi posing. At first it didn’t do much for me, but after seeing them live I like the tape a lot more. Watch for wax.
This EP precedes the one reviewed in MRR #10, and, as stated then, the APOSTLES are a very interesting band. Musically, they play slower, powerful punk with some distinctive variations; lyrically, they ooze with radical commitment. But one track (“Fucking Queer”) displays some confusing contradictions—self-hate?—which fly in the face of their otherwise virulent progressive and anti-fascist stances.
A good sampling of tunes from the APOSTLES’ vinyl offerings. A swell introduction to this English outfit’s unique sound.
The ART THIEVES have quite a distinctive sound for a thrash band, due both to their raspy vocals (which remind me quite a bit of RIBZY’s) and their tasty, tight, and somewhat inventive song structures. Definitely a winner.
Another new Dutch band that seems to be more influenced by American thrash than UK punk styles. Although the recording quality isn’t the best—there’s one studio side and one live side—it’s good enough to reveal the ASPERITYS as a fine group with a lot of potential.
Highly produced yet still garage-based R’n’R, both songs have a CRAMPS-like feel though the B-side is much more basic.
This band wears their influences on their sleeve. Or deeply etched within the grooves, or whatever the digital equivalent is. Early ’80s US punk and hardcore. Think DEAD KENNEDYS (minus the hits), while the female vocalist begs comparison with a scrappier AVENGERS (or perhaps BLATZ a decade later). They’re from Kansas City, and damn proud of it. This would appear to be their third full-length.
Rockin’ garage punk with raunchy female vocals and personal lyrics. Sounds a bit like the AVENGERS, and you gotta hear grungy classes like “He’s a Slut” and “Beer Picnic.”
Driven by a dual guitar onslaught, the BATS give us four tracks of DISCHARGE-ish power thrash with hateful, rebellious lyrics. This is the stuff you do not want to hear if you have a headache.
How do you describe something that’s just simply “dreamy”? I mean, can I just say that a band that plays upbeat and innocent sounding punk drenched in UK88 keyboards is “dreamy” and leave it at that? I’m talking the LA’S and/or HOUSEMARTINS meets Nuggets level swoon over here, and I am borderline in love with the BEEKEEPERS. Bonus points for covering “Frantic Romantic” (the SCIENTISTS), but these kids didn’t need any help winning my heart.
Eleven tracks of well-crafted, mid-tempo, jangly pop from the mastermind of SPACE WOLVES. Having been an unbelievably big fan of that band, this is right up my alley. Super catchy songs, lovely clean guitar licks, beautifully belted crooner-esque vocals, all done while keeping it cool and lo-fi, nothing overproduced. Presumably, most times “pop” is used as a descriptive term here at MRR, it is referencing pop-punk or power pop, but neither of those terms feel particularly fitting for the BEEKEEPERS. This feels more like ’60s-inspired pop/rock’n’roll recorded with a DIY punk mentality. You’ll be bopping your head, you may even shed a tear, but don’t let that stop you from giving this a listen, it’s an A+. I’m going to stoke the fire in my wood stove and play it again from the top.
The BLACK GLOVES have been around for a few years now, their first two-song demo dating back to 2017. Here we have a five-song cassette of killer, driving, catchy garage punk from Denver, Colorado. Stripped-down, simplistic, no-frills, and nothing to be desired from this reviewer. A four-year gap between releases may seem like a long time, but with the output being this solid, I will gladly await the third release, which based on what we know, should be out somewhere around November 2025.
Good ol’ punk with a good amount of spunk. Four songs, RAMONES-ish vocals… a swell job overall.
Their name could be serious, judging by the lyrics to “Girl in Red,” but it could be a parody. Anyway, this is noisy punk and thrash with a metallic edge. Lyrics cover cops, skating, and moshing.
Snap the compass, throw the charts overboard, delete MapQuest™: There are no maps that can help you where THE BRANKAS journey will take you. Pulsating, grinding, hornets’ nest Adderall-core™ with no respect for conventions of song structure. There’s a lot to unpack here, but if you are a fan of FAT DAY, the BOREDOMS, et al, I’d encourage you to check in.
What happens when members of SUICIDAL TENDENCIES break off and form their own band? Well, it’s called the BROOD. Metallic HC with excruciating guitar whacks totally in a MOTORHEAD school of raw energy. This is a good dose of awesome exhilaration. Check into what looks to be a quick up-and-coming band.
As unlikely as the name of the band is, their music turns out to be really cool modern day thrash, albeit quirky. Seven songs which are a bit under-recorded, but that is more than compensated for by the fun and energy put out.
Greasy rock’n’roll-infused punk, mostly with lyrics about dead friends, aging punks, shitty cops, shitty landlords, etc. There’s a line in one of the songs about fucking Jeff Ott, which is stupid but it made me chuckle. Like, of all the people they could’ve name-dropped, they bust out Jeff Ott! The last song has a bit of a ska tinge to it and the outro is very, dare I say, epic, in a LEFTÖVER CRACK type of way. Interesting fact: the band name is a tribute to a friend of theirs who passed away from cancer. I thought that was a cool gesture.
BURNT are out of the contemporary BLACK FLAG mold, but even more metalish.
Ninety minutes of enjoyable punk noise from one of Germany’s first punk bands. Lots of catchy originals, plus covers of “Paranoia,” the Bonanza theme, and more. Weeee!
Pretty hot upbeat early style punk with a good sense of melody. Four live tunes and two studio ones.
Here is more proof that the Midwest is where things will be really happening in the near future. The CLITBOYS have the lyrical strength and commitment of the TOXIC REASONS, but are more thrashed-out. Watch for an EP soon.
Imagine Doc Dart of the CRUCIFUCKS (his sharp wit and bizarre voice) singing for the VANDALS with a ’60s punk guitarist and a little ANEMIC BOYFRIENDS thrown in for good measure. The result: totally enjoyable punk and thrash, with intelligent and satirical lyrics.
A combination of new studio and live tracks keeping with a basic, medium-paced thrash sound. The lyrics have a warped sense of humor and a predictable satirical flavor. The new vocalist adds more power, but the music could use a little more development. The covers are fun.
This demo-style cassette features four songs of great quality, sounding like early L.A. material with a modern touch. Short but good.
One of the finest underground bands I’ve ever heard. The CRUCIFUCKS have more going for them than any group could ask for, including amazingly sharp lyrical barbs, insane Jerry Lewis-style vocals, sheet-metal guitar, innovative bass and drum interaction, and unique overall arrangements. The tempos vary, but every song is brilliant, especially “Establishment” and “Hinkley Had a Vision.” Mark my words, you’ll be hearing a lot more about these guys in the very near future.
Boisterous, growling hardcore from Austria. Named after a politician shot in office—sound familiar?—the DEAD NITTELS thrust forth a bombardment of rough-arsed exertion with raunchy vocals and intense punches of rapid momentum. This barking assault really shows some strenuous roars at establishing Austrian punk in a torpedoing exhibit of alert disorder and exhilarating rhythms. Exciting and young!
Hailing from Brooklyn, the DEADLINE offers up four songs that have a heavy influence of early 2000s-era hardcore in the vein of AMERICAN NIGHTMARE, COUNT ME OUT, and even a little bit of Oi! in there as well. Pretty decent stuff, especially for a demo. There’s definite potential here, although the one thing that stood out to me at first listen were the vocals. At times they seem a bit strained, in an almost “running out of steam” kind of way. But first impressions can be deceiving, and upon multiple listens, I have deduced that the vocals are raw and that only adds to the charm.
This chainsaw gut-rip from Chicago’s the DECAYED is their first LP after an EP a couple of years ago. A snotty warhorse of galloping metal punk; vocals are minimal and snarled. This teeters somewhere on a railroad track between thrash metal and street punk. Riffs are far-off horizon landscapes at times and fierce, punctuated hardcore moments later. The DECAYED have a groove that grabs you immediately. Vocal pace is stompy in a ’90s hardcore way, the metallic stylization is more modern. Punk passages are throughout each song, while being at the core a metal album. I like the standout, non-distorted bass call-and-response with the distorted guitar. This is sort of a mix between NAUSEA (vocal pace), MUNICIPAL WASTE (riffs), early RANCID (bass), FILTH (bitterness), the Pogo Attack compilation bands, and ’90s Epitaph bands. The DECAYED’s debut LP has a lot of different attitudes for sure, while maintaining something recognizably their own.
One of the best sounding tapes I’ve heard in a while; these guys utilize ’60s punk, surf, and old punk, but weld it into a very modern, hard-driving punk sound, not unlike AGENT ORANGE running headlong into NAKED RAYGUN. Very tight, very powerful, intelligent, and not cliché at all. Plus there are tons of tunes. Dynamite.
Psych weirdness, ranging from musical treats in the line of TRUE WEST or PLASTICLAND to more “out there” experimentation. Sound quality is passable, but doesn’t allow for the best listening with this sort of group.
Punky yet metal, but not speedcore. Paced medium, this sounds more like early punk with metal guitar work at times. Same with the vocal approach, though the lyrics are pretty solidly punk.
Pretty “dark” stuff here; gloomy pop that comes across as pretentious and commercially-oriented. No thanks.
The context is the fertile Philadelphia scene, where members of bands like MISCHIEF BREW, WITCH HUNT, the PIST, and MANKIND?, among others, came together to create music in the midst of a rather bleak socio-political landscape. The band is the DISSIDENTS and the result is this demo that shows a fully cohesive band, generating a melodic sound, even sing-along-y, but powerful enough to create the much-needed liberating pogo. The lyrics are political, attacking issues such as police abuse, racism, the treatment of immigrants, and the history of the United States. A great demo that is just a little taste of what this band is capable of in the future.
This tape features mostly mid-tempo melodic hardcore, not unlike the characteristic SoCal sound. The straight-ahead rhythms, hard-hitting drumming, and committed vocals make the DROOLING IDIOTS quite listenable.
This new DROOLING IDIOTS tape doesn’t sound as melodic as their first thrash-oriented demo, and the production isn’t especially hot. But their lyrical content has really come on strong, with both “personal” and “political” themes that do beneath the surface.
This is their third tape, and no let-down; the first six songs are fine studio stuff, followed by what sounds like a bunch of four-track and live material. Catchy songs, all punchy, and tightly honed. They should tour.
A live tape from this Chicago-area band. Their material is basic garage punk with some heavy metal guitar riffing and fairly thoughtful lyrics. They have too much or a rockish bar band quality, but their songs are occasionally excellent (especially on their earlier demo). Time will tell.
Early-’90s grunge/college/indie fully reborn and reincarnated. I mean, it’s been almost 30 years, so TAD is classic rock at this point (“Stairway to Heaven” was only eight years old when Pay to Cum dropped, so there’s that for perspective). Some surfy Laurel Canyon bits break up the distant guitars on what could essentially sit alongside EUGENIUS or any number of then-retro sounding bands. So yeah…here’s some kids from 2019 trying to sound like drugged out kids from 1990 who were trying to kick 1970 butt rock in the butt. Is it good? Yup, it totally is. They do exactly what they set out to do. Choice cut: “Misery.”
It was hard to get past the overlong heavy metal intro, but the rest of this tape contains teenage garage thrash with exaggerated, high-pitched vocals and funny lyrics. The EPILEPTICS are obviously having a lot of fun here, even if they are a little on the retardo side, so people with wacko senses of humor will probably like them—except maybe Frank Discussion, who gets slagged off.
Two bands share this 7″ slab. EU’S ARSE, who have a previous release, combine breakneck DISCHARGE-like repetitive riffs with unlikely-sounding vocals that suggest a poet gone berserk. IMPACT add a bit more variety, including fuzzier guitars and raspy vocals that mesh better.
Strong musically with almost new wave meets punk meets Three Penny Opera vocals — a more new wave DK’s? Intelligent lyrics, very tight and driving pop punk music, but the singing, though gruff at times, does detract a bit. Different.
Driving blues-based stuff with a dance beat. Funky punky rock treads the fine line between obnoxious art and wavish vapidity, but maintains some power.
Kansas City hardcore punk. The FREAK seems to have near-limitless anger frothing up inside them. The kind of hardcore punk that is just seething rage, making you feel really glad that the people involved have found the outlet of hardcore, or who knows how many bodies would been left in their wake. Fast, crushing hardcore punk with pummeling heavy breakdowns. Short and pissed. The five-song demo is over very quickly, and thankfully the tape has a whole bunch of dead space after the music ends before the B-side repeats the same tracks, giving your heart rate a chance to reduce and letting your blood come down from its boil.
Cool mid-tempo singalong stuff with a variety of influences. Six good songs from this Florida band (not the San Diego FRONT).
Bar band garage punk from Maine. Think ’60s Á la the SONICS and the 13TH FLOOR ELEVATORS. Although certainly not on that level, these seasoned vets hold their own kicking out the rockers. A good band for the locals.
Detroit drives in with an intense thrash band that incorporates a synthesizer sound Á la SCREAMERS and vocals not unlike that great LA group. These guys have a better idea.
Energetic country punk: fast and furious with bouncy bass lines. Hot stuff here.
The recording quality here isn’t so hot—it’s like “live” from the garage—so I hesitate to judge this new thrash band. They say that there’s a better-quality cassette to come, though.
Powerful thrash and HC from this Indiana outfit. Straightforward, but innovation is present. Lyrics seem to be in the spooky/horror vein.
Metally HC, but often more metal than HC, with the cheesiest DEF LEPPARD/JUDAS PRIEST vocals I’ve heard in a while. Lyrically, “Nazi Baptist Commando” is good, but the rest blow. Lyric of the week: “I masturbate, ejaculate, and wipe it on the wall.”
Fine job. Really ripping hardcore with above-average lyrics and playing. Somewhat of a DC sound but not generic at all. Heartening effect. Keep it up!
Intense innovative thrash and HC with a CRUCIFUCKS-ian edge. Hot music and great hilarious lyrics and clean production and a good amount of experimentation equals a fucking cool band! This should be a record.
While it’s not relevant to the music, this is one of the funniest record names I’ve heard in ages, and the accompanying picture sleeve is perfect. It’s all about the instrumentals here, as all four songs are instrumentals. While most of it is ’60s influenced surf, different songs have different feels, including upbeat and almost funky, or dark and eerie. There’s even a cover of “Without You,” a ’70s ballad made famous by HARRY NILSSON, but also recorded by BADFINGER and AIR SUPPLY. You’re in great company, guys. Solid release. Blue vinyl.
Two-piece, lo-fi hardcore punk/queercore from Serbia. I was shocked to see that a drummer is listed as a member of the band. Considering how nasty the recording is, I had assumed it was a distorted drum machine. This is a wild ride. Four songs of incredibly pissed-off hardcore punk with song topics like calling for all the queer punks to come out and be proud, and being upset about not being able to masturbate in your room without getting in trouble. I think this is beautiful and I am honored to have one of the mere 25 copies that exist of this masterpiece.
A screeching pet rock cousin to New York’s current school of avant-noise bands. The difference here is their fondness for trashing ’50s standards. “Who Do You Love” and “Ubangi Stomp” have never been abused quite like this before. Nice packaging, too.
The IDIOTS are a primitive, alcohol-swigging bunch from Germany. They stumble between Oi-influenced sing-alongs (like the title cut) and sloppy, enjoyable thrashers (like “Edeka”), all the while preserving a sense of humor and fuzzy guitar backing. For fans of DTJ and DER DURSTIGE MANN.
The IGUANAS specialize in respectable guitar rock. While both songs here are good, I’m quite partial to the impassioned flip, with its boisterous energy and instrumental changes of pace. Good record.
They say they’re one of the best bands in America. Well, I can honestly say they’re the kind of band you’d like to have in your scene. They straddle the line of sludge/garage music and weird spazz sounds. Kind of like having IGGY sing with the BIRTHDAY PARTY in the bad part of town, during a thunderstorm, without a decent PA and not enough beer. You get the picture.
All right! Hot mid-tempo punk with a 50s rock’n’roll sound to it. The only set back are the long leads; otherwise, this knocks down the walls!
Philadelphia’s the IRE has released What Dreams May Come as their first proper full-length. Building on their 2019 demo and 2021 cassette, the IRE opens this album with a short dirge and then ascends into a series of powerful, gothic anthems of hope and perseverance in dark times. The rhythm section of danceable bass guitar and precision drumming assist in creating a tight production, while moments of accurate guitar stabs are delivered quickly and deadly. Vocals reminiscent of Siouxsie Sioux serenade with lyrics of light and dark imagery in a balance of refined poetry—”The Chariot” and “Ketu: The Severed” are my current album highlights. What Dreams May Come leaves me dreaming of what the IRE will become with future efforts, as this album showcases excellent musicianship and a refined palate of particular taste.
For nostalgia-seekers of ’90/’00s female-led emo bands, listen up. Grainy and chunky guitars, with that fast-shuffling hi-hat beat, build a landscape for PARAMORE-esque vocals, saccharine to sour, asking questions like “Why’s this so hard? / I can’t believe the things you said to me” (from “Past Tense”). This is the JACKLIGHTS’ third EP, and they have kept laser-focused on their sugar-coated emo persona, dialing in some great songwriting chops. This four-song release is the perfect length for me—I enjoy it, but it’s the kind of thing I take in small doses.
The JOHN BUXTON EXPERIENCE is a one-man band from Wisconsin, and I bet this is the first time anyone has ever typed that name out in all caps. I kid—this guy has chops and writes some intricate shit in addition to being proficient at both guitars and drums. The vocals here remind me of M.O.T.O. a bit, and the music ranges from straight hardcore (“A Disastrous Introduction”) to rock epics (“Pillar of Salt”), to weirdness like “Goin’ Mad,” which seems to channel both KING DIAMOND and M.O.D. at different points. Despite the eccentricity of the songs, he manages to pull together a rather tight sound. In fact, you might never guess this was all just one guy if I didn’t tell you. Try it on a friend. Or don’t. Either way, something tells me we haven’t heard the last of JOHN BUXTON.
An unanticipated mixture of styles on this, the JONESES’ first 7″ effort. “Jonestown” is an instrumental with a slight tinge of disco bass and reggae guitar; the flip is a garagy slice of mid-tempo SoCal punk that kind of reminds me of REDD KROSS in the verse and RADIO BIRDMAN in the chorus. Not at all generic.
This five-track effort brings back (fairly recent) memories of the majestic heights of the RED CITY RADIO Skytigers CD. Not as much rock as the aforementioned RCR, but they do have that anthemic, layered, melodic sound real down. And a little dirty. While this quartet (typical two guitars, bass, drums) would appear to hail from Southern California (figures), they manage to sound like No Division-era HOT WATER MUSIC having it out with SCREECHING WEASEL at the height of their powers (i.e. Anthem for a New Tomorrow). As you might have ascertained, this is really fucking good.
The KNUCKLEHEADS offer mostly mid-tempo thrash with metal influences. Again, there’s nothing new here—it’s well done but predictable, including the themes. But again, given where they come from, it’s probably not at all predictable and generic.
Down and dirty slow garage blues, sorta like the NEW YORK DOLLS meets GUN CLUB. Unfortunately, my copy was warped (I hope that’s what accounted for that sound), but if you like raunch, this’ll do ya.
Garage punk with a country twist and wise-guy lyrics. Very well done.
Fun garage punk that at times reminds me of early MODERN LOVERS or HEARTBREAKERS with a bit of early ’60s garage/surf thrown in. Enjoyable.
A fine garage debut from a band out of (relative) nowhere. The LATIN DOGS specialize in chunky ’77-style punk propelled by an abrasive sheet-metal guitar sound, though some cuts have a more accelerated tempo. Their themes are predictably anti-establishment, but the lyrics reflect more awareness and sensitivity than the norm. A-OK.
Garage, punk, garage ska, and just general garage, done with a flair—the lyrics are sharp, but not dogmatic. At a few points, there’s a dash of FEEDERZ here, but that’s not really what they’re about. Good debut.
Absolutely beautifully done packaging on this cassette of lo-fi pop music. Two-color screen print on both sides of the J-card as well as the tape labels themselves. Stylistically, this mashes a bunch of different aspects of pop music together. You get some modern indie-infused pop punk, some Plan-It-X “kid of summer” style pop punk, some dreamy bedroom pop, and other elements I can’t entirely place. It’s a very nice little tape if you are into the catchier realm of things.
Admittedly recorded on a shitty four-track, you can still get a decent feel for this band, and their zeal comes through. They’re into powerful thrash, and I hope that they soon do some better recordings.
Excellent! A really unusual approach here—punk-rocked-out folk rock in a way, but with more drive and noise. Lots of originals as well as gnarly covers of DYLAN, EVERLY BROS., STONES, VELVETS, STOOGES, MDC, SIMPLETONES, DOVELLS, ROSIE & ORIGINALS—but all rocked out. Get it.
Man, this is really not my thing and hard for me to get through. To give them credit, they are good musicians and their passion for their message and music comes through. Fuck. I just have no taste for jazzy, nu-metal-style post-hardcore…er…whatever. Maybe compare them to RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, FAITH NO MORE, DISTURBED? From the atrocious cover art to the doubled and tripled melodic vocals, this screams anti-me in every way. Uh…great musicianship…feeling…did I say that already? Please make it stop!
Second full-length from this Toronto pop punk trio. They wear the obligatory RAMONES influences on their (record) sleeve, and all have the Mendoza surname. Being somewhat modern in their pop punk tastes, the RAMONES are suitably interpreted through a strict SCREECHING WEASEL snot-covered lens. At their best, this is up there with Anthem for a New Tomorrow, but more often falls squarely into the Boogada Boogada camp.
“MESS” indeed! It’s supposed to have twelve songs on it, but my copy of this tape only had four and one half, with incredibly long gaps between songs. What there was of it sounded good, although the lyrics seem pretty confusing.
An anomalous debut, in that it mixes ’70s garage punk rhythms, quasi-psychedelic ’60s-style leads, and ROTTEN-esque vocals. At first, the effect is unsettling, but their originality and punch become more impressive with each listening.
Pairing a Connecticut one-man band with a campy garage quartet from Seattle, this tape showcases two types of homespun punk action. The MINOR INCONVENIENCES is a gentleman by the name of Zach Fontanez playing bass, guitar, and vocals on some digital drum-assisted hardcore punk tunes with a ’90s type of lean. He follows two solid tunes that ride the line between melodic and maniacal with a cover of POISON IDEA’s “It’s An Action” that’s equipped with a razor guitar sound that’s pretty sweet. BRODY AND THE GRODIES come next with “Who Drank All the Beer,” a goofy-ass stomper with an intentionally obtuse attitude à la PERSONAL AND THE PIZZAS. They continue the juvenile party rockin’ with their band theme before wrapping it up with a SUPERCHARGER cover that’s somehow even more “budget” than the original. Good, clean punk.
Somehow, Norb Ugly (ex-S.U.M., now of DEPO PROVERA) dug up quantities of two early Green Bay “punk” singles and now wants to foist them off on you. This one is from 81 and has that new wave punk sound of 79-’80 — okay beat, but with deep pop-rock roots.
About half of the songs on this tape are carbon copy covers of IGGY POP (“Five Foot One”), JOY DIVISION (a priceless version of “Dead Souls”), and even the likes of BUTTHOLE SURFERS and BLACK FLAG. The original numbers are sporadically funny, too, sounding something like a R’n’R version of the MENTORS. This tape is almost so bad, it’s good.
This ten-song tape is made up of a twisted mixture of hard-hitting garage blues, psych rock, and wailing vocals. The pace is kept to a slow, steady, bass-dominated speed with a clean guitar sound. Low-down and dirgy, but very entertaining.
Yep, live it is, as well as one intense noise rush for us lovers of pure electricity. The MUTES have that manic S.U.M. feel to them. They might suck with a clear recording, but this way it’s great.
From Virginia comes this plodding guitar rock combo. The vocals are monotone and recorded in that “sing a line, punch in another” style to give a “singing at yourself” vibe. The songs are mainly all the same tempo, and there’s some nice reverb-laden guitars and maybe a tambourine in there. I would give them a DEADBOLT or DMZ comparison. It’s thankfully only six songs, and one’s a not very interesting L7 cover. Move it along, fellas.
I don’t recall ever seeing this San Francisco band. Not surprising as they started up about the time I could no longer afford to live there. They seem very much to have their hearts in the right place with songs about the aforementioned high rents and other important issues of the day. Hard-chugging locomotive-driven punk marked by a huge theatrical element complete with a singer worthy of a Broadway musical. They even do a Wizard of Oz cover!?! At times I’m feeling the GITS and others it’s the punk opera aethstetic of the PLASMATICS’ Maggots album, especially on songs like “Mitochondria of the City.” San Francisco is doomed for sure but these folks are putting up a fuss.
Claiming to be the fastest band around, they’d like us to tell them who’s faster. That might be difficult, as they do totally shred on their recent tracks here. And even at such speed, they manage to hold it together musically, and even inject a bit of melody, too. Looking for a US label.
A new release from the new version of the NIKOTEENS. Mostly energetic HC with slight metal influences. Good job.
Hard-driving melodic rock meets punk. The NILS remind me a bit of the WIPERS, in terms of the vocal qualities, the heavy guitar orientation, and the hooklines. A nice change of pace.
Yet another SoCal band that’s got good power, hooks, tunes, and delivery. Sort of D.I.-ish…a good job.
This lathe-cut 7″ is the latest single from San Diego’s the PASSENGERS. The tracks sound like a continuation of their 2021 full-length Under the Cruel Light: emotionally charged, synth-heavy goth rock with catchy, deep-end crooning. The two songs offered on this record are much the same, with layers of synth playfully dancing with drifting and distorted guitars. The baritone bass vocals are featured right in front and help to balance the tonal range. Both tracks are totally danceable, and either would make a great addition to your favorite gothic playlist.
This SoCal band has a weird indie feel at times, Á la a post-MINUTEMEN Mike Watt band. There’s also a ROLLINS BAND vibe at times as well. I can’t say this is a genre I’m big on, but if you like art/jazz/punk-type indie rock, check these guys out.
Some snappy upbeat punk tunes here with keyboards which aren’t too overbearing. Includes a couple covers (DAMNED, AEROSMITH) and eight originals. A pretty good start, somewhat of a NUNS feel.
A great example of the true spirit of DIY punk, the likes of which haven’t been heard in many a year. The music here is primitive, stripped-down punk rock Á la ’77-’78, recorded at the singer/guitarist’s house in two days with vocals sounding like they’re coming out of the closet and no remixes. On the plain cover, the same fellow describes the course of his socio-political self-realization, which ultimately led to the making of Catch the Plague, and the results are ten times more honest and relevant than 90% of the stuff produced by various modern “hardcore” cliques. “This Is the Punk” says it all.
A two-song flexi, unusual in that this Japanese release doesn’t come in a sleeve (Japanese sleeves are the most expensive looking I’ve seen). Good ’77 punk with cool singing and rockin’ power, especially the drumming.
This band comes from Santa Ana/Los Angeles, California, and this seems to be their first EP—physical copies are only available at live shows. A four-track EP spinning around for twelve minutes or so. Kinda fast punk rock, notes of GG ALLIN in the vocals, quick guitar changes, and good drums with fills and stops that may cause pogoing. The first track “Human Apparitions” is like some kind of hymn and works as an intro to the EP (riffy as hell). Good hardcore punk, with really defined guitars and a lil’ bit less distorted than usual. The second song “Breathless” was to me the best song on this EP: well-executed, and creates an atmosphere of losing oxygen, with great guitars for this one as well as good drum cuts. I wouldn’t categorize them into the “metal punk” area at all, as they are closer to classic hardcore punk, even a clean-ish version. Their singer transmits a calm but uneasy feeling, like a hawk looking from above, calm but deadly. Initially, I wasn’t sure if I liked them, but after some listening, I realized this is quite good. It’s always easier to just make noise and angry postures, but this has musical accuracy, and it seems to have passion, too.
A change of pace from the typical thrash syndrome with the new 12-song demo from this Grand Rapids outfit. Overall, a PROLETARIAT comparison comes to my mind, but this band keeps a stronger guitar-oriented sound. The vocals sing right along with every beat, which after a couple of songs becomes annoying. The speed is fast but still falls short of a lasting impression.
Another three songs and nine minutes of rank sludge punk to sit with this Leeds band’s first tape from early 2022. They’re faster and more hardcore-leaning this time out compared to the BRAINBOMBS vibes sloshing around the debut, though I still catch a black metal street punk influence, especially on “Irreversible Damage.” The goth-y guitar refrain on “Grimace” totally works too, cutting through the mire without cleaning anything up in doing so. Suspect the REFLECTING SKIN hasn’t gotten in enough faces live for the word to really spread yet, because this is blown-out, sloppy, and brutal in all the best ways.
Self-titled debut from this Indiana power trio. They pretty much have that early SCREECHING WEASELS/QUEERS pop punk snot down pat. As a fan of said genre for 30-plus years now, there’s definitely nothing new here, but they attack the genre with enough verve and gusto to make it sound fresh enough.
Pretty cool and raw ’60s-type punk. Tight and powerful, with an obvious NOMADS influence, they rock hard and have a gnarly singer. Hot rock’n’roll.
A three-song demo that’s really good, though it seems totally out of time and place (nice change, though). The tunes combine older-style punk tunes and raw, powerful playing, much in the way some of the early English, and especially Irish punk bands did. Enjoyable.
Some neo-’60s stuff here, early rockin’ R&B to be more precise. I hear hints of the YARDBIRDS, early STONES, PRETTY THINGS, etc. This is great — half demos, half live. Nice package, too.
There are four catchy, early New York punk style songs on this CD. The singer has a bratty, whiny vocal style and the band is tight in a Young Loud and Snotty way. Yet, it’s not annoyingly retro.Great stuff. They just need a better name.
Spontaneous jamming, two little kids telling us about peace punks, safe sex, Tim Yohannan, and more. Amusing for short periods of time.
A side project for COUCH FLAMBEAU and the APPLIANCES, this pretty much sounds like a side project. “Scarey Love” has an experimental feel with dark, brooding vocals, and the flip is funkier, sort of novelty. Interesting, but…
Now history, but this tape is supposed to be a living memorial. There’s obviously a lot of tight, kick-ass thrash here, although it’s got that echoey kind of “live” sound, that unmixed quality, that I don’t really go for much. This relic is all that’s left of them, so you archaeologists out there shouldn’t be too choosey.
These guys start out strong; I’m always a fan of the male/female competing vocals. It’s faster-paced, but it’s not thrash. It’s too catchy and melodic for that, with a focus on the vocals. (And FYI, I’m not suggesting that thrash can’t be both catchy and melodic, that’s just not generally the focus.) That said, the melodies definitely take me back to early California hardcore and the early ’80s. It’s also got some goth elements sprinkled in there. Ultimately, it’s punk rock that is both original and nicely done. I’m a fan. “Party Animal” is my new theme song. It’s actually not, that was just a joke. Keep on rockin’.
Kicking off with a rad cover of the Sesame Street theme, these guys blaze out some driving melodic punk with buckets of energy present. Rad shit.
This band had a great pop/punk EP out a few years ago, and while this new tape still contains their gritty approach, the material is a bit slower (wasn’t too fast to begin with) and a bit more “heavy” (not metal, though; more like mid-period SAINTS). Decent.
Beer and shitty bars and rock’n’roll…it all still tastes good together. We’re talking the BRIEFS and/or Surfer Rosa era-PIXIES by way of AMBOY DUKES and/or STOOGES, but with a NINE POUND HAMMER “yeeeaaaahhh“ cranked way up in the front of house monitors. All of these ingredients are delicious, and the pained/strained vocals are the gravy. I kinda don’t want to like this, but I totally do.
Insanely silly! This is rockin punk with lyrics about religious surfers, urinating, vanilla ice cream, and other topical subjects. Also memorable are the hilarious elements between songs. A total crackup!
Six songs of eclectic, melodic indie-punk. Mostly falling within a vaguely REPLACEMENTS territory sound-wise, with tongue-in-cheek, humorous lyrics along the lines of say, YOUR MOTHER, with a distinctly nasal vocal delivery that reminds me a little of PANSY DIVISION. Stylistically, the songs have jangly, poppy interludes interspersed with noisier, more distorted riffs. The longest and best song, “Tito” (at over five minutes), serves as something of an epic and takes the listener on a journey through diverse musical styles such as FIREHOSE and PINK FLOYD.
Second single from the SMOG: a burning bright light from Japan’s now-time punk scene. Their prior single checked all my obsessive boxes: ace design, an absurdly limited pressing, and excellent songs, each traipsing across both spirited DIY and razorblade punk in a way that made it difficult to pigeonhole. This second single follows in line but in much more confident fashion. There’s this dark, forward-falling sound in the SMOG that recalls heavies from Tokyo Rockers, but then “Dusty World” appears and their sound brightens toward near-danceable post-punk. The shift is not jarring at all, just serves as an indication of adaptability and proof that they’ve got plenty to play with. Another drool-worthy offering. Seek this out!
Poppy garage band with ’60s bubblegum sound meets ’60s punk. Organ sound and lightweight guitar characterize their “teen sound.” OK cover of “These Boots Are Made for Walking.”
Decent but unspectacular ’77 UK-style punk. I’ve come to expect specialness from Japanese releases, but there’s no imagination here.
Folky-sounding rock that reminds me of YO a bit. I figured with a name like the SUBSTITUTES they’d have a WHO influence, but they’re more on the melodic side. Good sound quality.
Philly poppy punks (not pop punks, mind you) follow up their first demo with another excellent batch of tracks. For a demo, the recording is excellent—with the right amount of grit to amplify the strong songwriting on display. These songs whip back and forth, echoing a classic ’80s Midwest sound with enough contemporary flair to keep things fresh. The band even dips a toe into cowpunk—a genre that’s so often executed poorly—with closer “Hoosegow.” The SWEATYS pull it off, rolling snare and slacker sliding guitar lines and all. Overall a top-notch demo from a band that keeps pumping ’em out.
It’s like hard-hitting grown-up garage punk, but kinda without the hard. That just means that the THROWUPS toss the contrived “heavy” vibe that a lot of alcohol-soaked dirty-guitar-driven rock’n’roll bands rely on, and they substitute killer tracks and an earnest intensity that makes them feel more…real. On the way from MENSCLUB to FUEL, there’s a bridge between discordant powerful punk rock and filthy ass bars…the THROWUPS are playing their hearts out on that span. Plus the “Tuba Practice” track just makes believe that these are my kind of people.
Backed by a wall of alternately jagged and dreamy post-punk instrumentals, vocals are manic and theatrical in a way that feels almost like an avant-garde spoken word performance. Songs have a no-holds-barred weirdo edge. PRIESTS immediately come to mind, as do LUNACHICKS. Everything about this band feels very intentional, from cover art, to lyrical content, down to the construction/production of each song. This is the kind of record you can listen to over and over and discover something new each time.
The physical manifestation of these three tunes is now more than a full year old, but I feel like I’m going to be carrying this creation well into the next decade. The TOUCH HEADS sound like they are playing elements of a lost (and brilliant) garage hardcore recording, picking and choosing the best bits and looping them—remixing and deconstructing the music in real time. If you can imagine listening to part of a punk band….but like, just the good part. Clean guitars, complete emphasis on repetition, take the WIPERS, BIG BOYS, and DICKS school of punk and filter it through the Dance of Death 45 and take out the bits you don’t like. Stark, blunt, confident music for an uncertain future.
Quick, hyper, melodic punk with animated vocals and silly lyrics, which brings the DICKIES to mind. Super-energetic and tuneful fun.
Extremely fucking confusing full score one-person production that “strives to recreate Phil Spector’s wall of sound” while acknowledging in the accompanying zine that Spector himself was a complete prick. Oh…and somehow the artist (“GORILLA X”) approaches the project through the lens of MINUTEMEN’s Double Nickels On The Dime. Spoken lyrics as astral poetry makes the release sound simultaneously advanced and amateurish…but mostly confusing. It’s a psychedelic space journey version of all of the above, with extensive notes, lyrics and images to help guide you.
Amateurish thrash and punk straight from a garage somewhere in the “garden” state. These teens have spunk and a good, albeit dumb, sense of humor, but don’t expect any musical miracles. “Hay Ho Ha” is the most intense cut; “Disgusting” is the most ludicrous.
This SLC band comes at you hard and fast with a socially conscious UK82 style and strong DIY spirit. They’re so DIY that you are provided with a full album download complete with make-your-own CD and tape covers free of charge on their website. Musically, it’s a cross between latter-day EXPLOITED and something that would be at home on the Pogo Attack comp of yore. The singer has an off-time shouty/talky voice that reminds me of the singer of the PIST crossed with El Duce. There’s a lot of material here with lots of unfortunately ever-relevant anti-cop lyrical content provided. Pick it up.
Garden-variety thrash from the Sacramento valley region. There are some sparks of originality, and “Tim’s in the Marines (And He Can’t Get Out)” is done in such a regimented, repetitive manner that you can fully understand his plight.
…and pretty soothing vibes these guys are! Distorted melodic stuff here with a relaxing, hypnotizing effect. Very nice. I like this.
A highly enjoyable three-song debut from these ska-influenced skins. There’s one ska tune, one ska-tinged rocker, and one Oi tune. All are well-done, good-natured, and seemingly without any negative or fascist overtones.
This SoCal band has been around since 1999. Hardcore punk with a female singer who sings and doesn’t scream. Music is Brit HC circa 1982. A bit of GBH, which I guess would make this like VICE SQUAD. This also reminds of the CREAMERS with its energy. This is their third 12″ in all these years.
Fun, upbeat punk with a ’50s rock’n’roll feel to it. Lyrics are personally oriented. Hot rockin’ stuff.
“Next summer” is a pretty pop tune with really quirky lyrics, but the flip is a cool pop punk tune with femme vocals, a more rocking B-52s. A giveaway single.
The WHAT are an all-female group from the Midwest, and they’ve made one of those records that’s so band it’s good. You know, the SHAGGS syndrome. “Gloria” is an amateur but straightforward of the PATTI SMITH version (!); the B-side contains a complete hatchet job of the OUTSIDERS’ old classic, replete with out-of-tune guitars, off-key harmonies, and imprecise instrumentation. Yuk it up!
Very militant, political punk and thrash that comes with a bilingual lyrics booklet. The A-side of this tape is a little tinny-sounding, but the other side has a full production sound and really blows out the windows. It’s like night and day—weird!
You probably won’t be able to get this garage-punk gem anymore, but suffice it to say this nine-song cassette is both funny and wise—with lots of hardcore thrills mixed in. Even though the WRECKS are no longer with us (sigh), songs like “Couldn’t Believe It” will live on in the annals of punk history. Mark my words.
This St. Louis punk outfit is back with their second release, which is also apparently their last. The group is a bit of a Midwest supergroup with Olivia Gibb (WARM BODIES, BB EYE) on bass, Bethany Lumsdaine (co-creator of Bloomington, IN fanzine Shut Up and Listen) on guitar, Shannon Boyer (ROYAL BRAT) on vocals, and Shawn Durham (who apparently drummed for SNAIL MAIL at some point). They’ve reigned in their sound a little bit since their last cassette, which was pretty raw and wild, and end up with a more deliberate sounding collection of tracks. And, yeah, they clean up nicely! The three originals remind me a lot of the garage-ier Alicja-sung LOST SOUNDS tunes (sans synths), particularly in the vocals. They also do a sick cover of “P-E-R-V-E-R-T” by St. Louis first-wave unknowns the WELDERS. It’s a really cool cassette—wish we’d gotten to hear more from them!
As a lover of surf music, this tape was a pleasant surprise. THEE IRMA & LOUISE from Bern, Switzerland have apparently been a band since 2002, and have a whole slew of vinyl releases under their belt, which I will certainly be looking into now that I have been exposed to their newest release. Kill List appears to be the band’s first cassette release, and is ten tracks of surf-infused punk—or should I say punk-infused surf? The songs range in tempo from slow and creepy to fast punk, and one of the few vocal numbers actually sounds oddly similar to “El Dorado” by AGENT ORANGE. Guitar tones are pretty distorted, and there is a lot of spooky organ peppered in, leading me to assume they’re more inspired by punk bands doing instrumentals, such as “Surf Bat” by 45 GRAVE rather than by ’60s surf music. While not my favorite take on surf, they do the style very well, and some of the tunes are incredibly catchy. What’s more: they keep most of the tracks instrumental, the way this reviewer feels surf music should be. Once you go vocal, you lose me a little bit. Having only two vocal numbers on this ten-song cassette, I like those odds. What really confuses me about this tape is all ten songs listed are on the A-side of the tape, while the B-side is roughly ten minutes of feedback and stick clicks as if a song is about to start, but never actually does, followed by a strange instrumental industrial song. Unnecessary. The A-side will be rewound and played many times over.
Here are some old thrashers out of San Francisco showing the youngsters how to shed for real! No fucking bullshit, blaring hardcore chock full of blastbeat venom and foaming-at-the-mouth rage. Like most folks from the Bay Area, their anger is directed squarely at techies and the rest of the Silicon Valley nightmare, even invoking the Unabomber in one song. If you love ’90 Bay Area powerviolence and hate your smartphone, check this out.
A bunch of cool Fresno cats associated with the MANIAX, Blitz, and Stop Skate Harassment have put out this innovative little tape. THINK TANK combines unique post-punk arrangements, very thoughtful lyrics, and all-out thrash blasts in an effective, distinctive way. They even do a raunchy cover of the CLASH’s “1977.” Highly recommended.
Though the recording is just a bit on the thin side, there’s lots to pick up on here—lots of energy and tight as hell, quick changes and blazing yet melodic thrash, and some positive lyrics. Like the singing and harmonizing, too. A good start.
Self-described as “basement punk,” THIRSTY GIANTS sound like they’re having a great time making goofy tunes in the cellar. Organically lo-fi, most of Infinite Monkey Theorem is mid-tempo garage rock with some elements of ’90s alternative rock sprinkled in here and there. A couple of the songs bring to mind a stripped-down version of TIMMY’S ORGANISM. With so many bands taking themselves way too seriously, it’s refreshing to encounter a group that does their thing in pursuit of fun rather than notoriety.
Seven-song EP from this Minnesota garage punk band that was a drag to get through. The songs vary from rudimentary three-chord hardcore to crawling, lo-fi slow-mo punk, but none of it really sticks. The vocalist uses a snotty affect, delivering lyrics that court shock value but come across as juvenile. It really seems like a younger brother’s punk band. Take “Butthole Skater” for example—through thick flange amid a distorted bass solo, we get the lines, “I ain’t no surfer, I said it before / But I wanna skate the dunes of a whore / I just can’t skate for shit / I wiped out and got an abortion / I’m a butthole skater.” Yeah, okay. If you want skate rock, it has been done better. If you want shocking, it has been done better. If you are twelve years old and need an entry into punk rock, try something else.
Non-generic punk and HC with on-target political and social words, heavy on innovation and intensity make this a hot one.
A split cassette with some of the most gorgeous packaging I have ever seen on a cassette release. We’ve got a four-color screen-printed O-card (with a single print on the inside of it even though it is glued shut), a two-color screen-printed insert, two-color screen-printed labels on each side of the cassette, and it all comes in a two-color screen-printed (inside and out) folding chipboard slipcase. It looks absolutely amazing and I very much applaud the amount of work that went into this. Now onto the music. It took me a few listens to fully understand what was going on with this tape. The two projects featured here both had members of the NY-based band COTTAGING. ALBERT DEMUTH is a solo musician who plays slow and meandering minimalist music with lackadaisical poetic lyrics delivered in a lazy LOU REED kind of way. THOT AUDIT, on the other hand, plays more driving, artsy, indie-based rock music with some mathy, all-over-the-place kinda riffs jangling away throughout their side of the tape. Some cool post-punk/gothy moments shine through at times. All in all, a very cool-looking and sounding release once I spent the time to get past my initial confusion.
Full speed ahead metalcore, with a couple straight HC numbers as well. Lots of power and tempo changes make this a hot tape from these Bay Area bangers.
Innovative punk with attention keeping twists and turns, and neato guitar effects. A good mixture of power, originality, and momentum.
Pretty tuneless stuff here, garage punk and thrash with lots of screaming. Sixty tunes in sixty minutes, what fun!
A Denver four-piece who take a decidedly No Wave-inspired approach for a band named after a calculator. My favorite moments are when the synth and the guitar seem to be fighting for the same space in the mix, making both sound warped and atonal, like the tape was left in the rain and shoved back into the deck. The tempos are abrupt, the bass is chunky, the songs are short. Plus, there are funny samples. It reminds me of a lot of things (COACHWHIPS? The SICK LIPSTICK?), but not enough of one single thing to make a decent direct comparison. Let’s just say if you like your synth-punk with a touch of garage, but not too angry, this is in your wheelhouse.
Right off the bat, the guitar and the female vocals remind me of the RIVER CITY TANLINES and the PLASTIC TONES. You won’t mistake this for either of those bands, but the similarities are there. It’s not just the guitar and the vocals that are strong, the whole thing is super tight and catchy as all hell. Sure, it’s punk, but at its core, it’s rock’n’roll. I like the tempo, which is like that extra cup of coffee in the morning, making things perk up just a bit, but not to the point where things are getting crazy. There’s a lot to like here.
Since they’re not happy about their split LP, or the label, this band has put out their own tape. I imagine that they’re not really happy with this either, as it’s not a “garage” or “live” recording (which they feel is “real” punk), but is more studio stuff. Personally, even though the drum and bass could be fuller, it’s an excellent tape. Punk and thrash.
This mainstay of New Brunswick’s trash-and-slash rock scene has been kicking it around the island for a good bit. You get three (count ‘em, three) EPs inserted onto one plastic disc, and the songs are a good carry-on of ye olden Rip Off Records sound, or prime-time Goner Records racket, albeit a little cleaned up production-wise. The songs are catchy and dance-worthy as hell, with even a tinge of classic glam on songs like “King Grove,” or ’78 DICKIES speed-pop on “Away.” If you’re like me, you’ll be wondering how you missed out on this for so long. It’s all fun with a capital “PH,” and you should get on the bus real soon because this guy’s going places.
There’s a hint of late-’80s Dutch East India college alt, raw outsider pre-grunge and/or post-punk, and there’s a nice gruff Picciotto tail clinging onto the end of many of the verses. You could just say that Milwaukee’s TOADSKIN is rehashing a past sound, but it rings true—perhaps in part because the sounds are from an entirely different past.
There’s something about this that just doesn’t sit right with me. It just doesn’t hit right. It kinda sounds like a demo recording, but at the same time it doesn’t, if that makes any sense. It just sounds kinda hollow, I guess. As for the band themselves, the sound is very reminiscent of that wave of pseudo pop punk/”emo” that was big on Warped Tour a couple decades ago. At its core, it’s kinda punk, but in a loose “dudes covering radio ‘punk’ hits at a bar” kinda way. One song stuck out to me, though: “Parking Ticket” had something that sounded familiar to it and I couldn’t place it. Then it struck me. It kinda sounded like if Matt from SQUIRTGUN sang for HOT WATER MUSIC. There is a part that repeats through the song that is literally a part from a HOT WATER MUSIC song. Honestly, I think if the sound was a bit thicker I’d be more apt to give this a bit more of a chance. Maybe next time.
TOEJAM lets loose a metal-punk blast with lots of noise and echoey, gruff, sometimes distorted vocals. A lot of the tracks here are too metalish for me (including guitar solos, etc.), but there is power to spare.
Somewhere after the release of Rock Against Bush Vol. 2 and American Idiot on Broadway getting nominated for a Tony Award, punk seemed to completely deflate as a political entity. Even as punks expanded their personal politics, outward messages of defiance towards the government and society were often totally dropped in favor of heavy metal-style “cvlt” imagery (just replace Satan and demons with a crude line drawing of a spider crawling out of a skull’s eye socket wrapped in barber wire), and the dressings of hardcore style lost much of the meaning that often gave it much of it’s bite, importance, and impact. Of course, this news never reached these old diehards in Van Nuys. TOTAL MASSACRE’s second album is good ’n’ punchy, tried-and-true old school hardcore punk (a la DEHUMANIZERS or DETONATORS) with gnarled vocals like the more raw ARTISTIC DECLINE tracks, or a less extreme CAPITOL PUNISHMENT, spitting diatribes ripped out of the headlines. Fuck their border wall! If you see a fucking Nazi, you’re gonna knock his fucking block off! Fuck Trump! I’m gonna make damn sure my liver fails before our institutions do!! (a funny line, but one that shows how fucking bizarro world 2019 actually is). The band makes good use of their indignation, but I do at times feel these laundry lists of outrage would benefit from just a bit more over the top irony and the kinds of acidic dark humor that made some of the original 1980s political hardcore bands such fun jaunts. The music bolts straight ahead, with melodic underpinnings anchored by a steady upfront drumbeat, captured in a solid recording, with catchy enough songs to hoist the lyrical musings and maybe inspire a few fist pumps in tandem with the beat. Maybe the lyrics are not ones that will change the world, but punk’s power was always music as meeting point for people who felt the same way, and it’s why the political and personal lyrics are still important, because yeah I feel that way too. I’m an anti-fascist and we’re all anti-fascists too! TOTAL MASSACRE maybe wallow lyrically in the challenges and disappointments that come with age a few too many times here, yeah…maybe we feel all that way too sometimes, but one of punk’s strength is also the empowerment it can bring to both the performer and the listener. This comes in a gatefold sleeve with full lyrics.
This is a beautiful, down-tuned, thrash-y, metallic exertion of power. If the first five seconds of sludgy guitar isn’t your thing, then move on. If it is, my god, turn it the fuck up. These mid-tempo tracks let you appreciate all the riffs, belabored drums, and “I’m not going to have a voice after this tour” vocals. It reminds me a little of DROWNINGMAN in its pace and technicality (but without the harmonies), and is certainly my kind of heavy. I hope to hear more from these Toronto slayers. TOTAL SILENCE(?)—anything but.
You read the title before you started reading the review, right? Well, read it again and ask yourself: do you? Do you even listen to hardcore? Sucker? Nothing fancy from these Whittier Boulevard motherfukkrs, just short, fast bursts of hardcore. Equal parts INFEST and RAZOR’S EDGE, not sure what more you could want. If you even listen to hardcore, that is.
TOTALITÄR, with a grinding HC guitar approach and a tasteful speedcore edge, pummel out five tracks on this one. The closest comparison I can think of is ANTI-CIMEX, and the vocals on this one manage to convey a real sense of urgency and power. Very strong release.
Pretty cool melodic punk with a neat, rich guitar sound. Original tunes with unique twists and turns, gets a thumbs up from me.
This band rules! On a recent tour I drove, they were one of the locals that played the Boston gig, and were one of the best bands I saw on that trip. The TOUCH HEADS have got it all: short songs that are catchy and memorable, nasty riffs, killer guitar work, and booming drums. A truly awesome modern hardcore punk band. This demo does exactly what a demo should do, in my opinion: leave you wanting more. Clocking in at just over five minutes with the program repeating on both sides of the cassette, I find myself letting it flip and listening to it over and over again. Here’s hoping this isn’t the only thing we hear from TOUCH HEADS. I want more!
Fine garage punk from the SF Bay Area. The guitars are raunchy, the singer is a smart-aleck, and the themes are often satirical. Songs like “Fellatio Sucks, It’s for Dicks” are real knee-slappers, whereas others (like “Senior Citizen”) are more sensitive and relevant.
TRAIDORA presents seven tracks of stripped-down D-beat with a certain goth or deathrock quality—maybe it’s the cover art or the black metal-esque vocals. The record’s tone feels desperate and direct. The vocals echo and the guitars come with maximal treble, like a 33 RPM recording of a chainsaw sped up to 45 RPM. The drums are playing a one-two-one-two lurch, sounding like a pair of Docs clonk clonk clonking down an empty hallway.
Pretty solid speedcore that doesn’t really stand out from the pack. Okay lyrics about religion, war, and other topical subjects. Not bad but not amazing, either.
Four energetic rock’n’roll songs from this Quebec City band. Channeling classic ’77 riffs with bouncy bass lines lifted from pop punk, TRAPS deliver a completely fine, recognizable sound in a familiar package. I was ready to move on when the last song, “Don’t Do It,” came on and lifted my spirits. Did you have a Lookout! phase in the ’90s? Remember that sweet mix of punchy power chords with heartfelt lyrics (think MTX or WYNONA RIDERS) that would extend roots into your brainpan? “Don’t Do It” brings that feeling back for all of us who have an audio sweet tooth. While listening, I started thinking about high school and skateboards and those little folded paper football things. I thought about hating everyone who wore the shirts of that one pop punk band that got really popular, but going home and listening to them anyway. And I think this would have made a really great one-song single.
Fun juvenile pop-punk with humorous lyrics slagging the cops, the government, and Ted Night (who does totally suck). Catchy stuff within.
TRIGGER CUT is a German noise rock band that takes several pages from the SHELLAC playbook, but goddamn, they do it well. Steve Albini’s influence is definitely all over this record, from the trebly dissonant guitar to the slightly distorted bass production to the detached shouted/shrieked vocals. So they didn’t invent this particular template, but TRIGGER CUT may have perfected it. Each track comes out pummeling with heart-pounding, head-bobbing hit after hit of noisy, muscular grit. The relentless energy and super-crisp recording is as good as this genre gets and pairs excellently with the classic Touch and Go or AmRep bands of the ’80s and ’90s. This shit is exciting. When vocalist Ralph moves from a half-spoken/half-shouted verse to a voice-cracking shriek like in “Coffin Digger” or “Regular Funk,” the effect is arresting and awesome. “Fireworks” manages to get even heavier with the sturm und drang of a drop-tuned doomy bass riff with explosive full-band response that absolutely rips. The rest of the record never slows or weakens the full-tilt destructive onslaught. Highly recommended!
German noise rockers TRIGGER CUT have really gone through it during the last few years. First, a devastating fire at their rehearsal space destroyed all their equipment and the early recordings for this album. Through determination and the aid of six (!) community-organized benefit compilations, they finished Soot, their third record. The band then hit another snag when starting their UK tour. Due to post-Brexit bureaucratic red-tape bullshit, they were turned away at the border, sparking international concern about the treatment of foreign touring bands, even appearing in mainstream publications like The Guardian. So, it has been a lot for a small touring band, but how is the album? It’s really good. “Water Fukkery” kicks it off with a mathy, DON CAB-style riff that explodes into trebly, sandpaper guitar and spoken/shrieked vocals like SHELLAC. “Soot Song” begins with fire alarm guitars that then run through several movements of hold-and-release tension that end in a quiet, chiming outro. “Slipstream” might be the perfect TRIGGER CUT song: it opens with a catchy figure and rolling drums, moves from textured guitar and hollered vocals down to near silence, and then takes off again into full-rocking mode. The songs are complex and emotional, and while not necessarily melodic, there is a compositional arrangement that is always interesting. A compelling and exciting record throughout, and a testament to tenacity. I’m glad they stuck it out.
These are the bands that LEFTÖVER CRACK has spawned. Abrasive but catchy “fukk you” attitude, but totally melodic, and the chorus of “Nothing Left” demands a singalong, just as the right channel guitar begs to be turned down in the mix because you can’t hear anything else. I don’t say this often in these pages, but Minneapolis’ TRINITY TEST are starter punk for newcomers. If you’ve been in the game for more than a few months, then you’ve likely already moved past these sounds. Not to say that they aren’t important and/or relevant, just to say that this old man isn’t moved by them.
Typical generic hardcore from Baltimore’s TRIPPER. Plenty of required breakdown-y bits to get your mosh on, or whatever. There’s some more math rock-y bits in the mix sometimes that are a bit interesting, and the musicianship is certainly competent, but overall it doesn’t interest me. The Bandcamp page also has “female-fronted punk” in the tags, which as we all know is not a genre and is overall a terrible tag.
A blistering aural soundscape of a concept album (of sorts). Equal parts hardcore, metal, math rock, indie, and a smattering of pop, it’s all stitched into a whole cloth with samples and sound collages. BOY SETS FIRE mashing it up with KILLING JOKE doesn’t really do it justice, but it’s a start.
A rockish energy mixes winningly with thrashy song structures on this five-tracker. The song quality is about on par with their varied debut EP, but here exhibits much more consistent power, especially on the steamroller “1984.” A solid record, worthy of your attention.
Flat-out the best new band out of Germany, combining a hardcore mind with metal fingers, pushing the sonic disruption into a rambunctious speedcore assault with all-together lyrics. Totally a US feel of hardcore to this grinding fury, with speed, melody, wailing riffs, and a continual careening force. Lots of unique ideas that bolt across with power and enthusiasm.
This young band was pissed when they were described last issue as FLIPPER-like. They do have some similarity in the distorted, raunchy bass lines and vocals echoes, but they are much more spirited and furious in tempo. Sort of like the CHURCH POLICE (just kidding, guys).
Pretty good thrash from this SoCal outfit. Lyrics mostly fall in the personal category: values, friends, etc. Fans of ILL REPUTE should check this out.
Both sides of this EP are excellent sounding punk rock reminding me of classic NO ALTERNATIVE stuff. Lyrically, these guys are no geniuses. On the A-side, for example, they seem to be advocating capital punishment with a chorus of “Kill the killers”…I think. I say “I think” because it could be (no lyric sheet) “Kill the coloreds.” Hard to really tell. That wouldn’t be on purpose, would it…guys?
A pretty intense but standard thrash tape. The sound quality is decent, and there’s lots of power to their blasts. Nothing new, but they’ll be a force if they stick with it.
This blows doors! Innovative powerful thrash with lots of spark and bite, great production, the works. My suggestion; get this tape.
This is simple, three-chord punk with basic production and messy vocals — all played in a moderate tempo. The four songs here sound uninspired and rather monochromatic, though I did like the harmonica break in “Control U.”
This is the debut album from Olympia trio UK GOLD. The sound is sparse, clipped, and seems fully intentional. Slightly overdriven guitar works in lockstep with angular, anti-funk drums and bass, all instruments clearly defined and contributing to the argument put forth by the vocals: righteous indignation, complaint, disappointment? There’s a strident confidence to the songs not dissimilar to later-period DC acts such as BLACK EYES, or maybe HOT SNAKES, or even the muscular noise-rock of SHELLAC; at a stretch, HELMET in 4/4 time. Nothing here is disguised by feigned amateurism or low fidelity production—everything is exposed in the glare of their post-punk that rocks.
Short fast angry songs from this Spanish act. Production is a bit muffled, but the energy, power, and emotion is there.
This duo of Spanish bands demonstrate a remarkable similarity to Finnish bands from 82 or so. U.G., with their ultra-fast, messy thrash sound, is reminiscent of that first BASTARDS EP; R.D.R., with more extended song structures but the same general style, recalls the first EP by RIISTETYT. Altogether, rather like a blast from the past, and recommendable for the U.G. side.
Now down to a three-piece, this outfit has tightened up considerably, producing a classic guitar-highlighted tape with good hooks, a thick sound, and plenty of tension. Not as funny but better produced, the Unaware sound good at slower paces and thrash speed.
Coming straight out of Salt Lake City, Utah’s UNCROSS offers three tracks in ten minutes on this demo, which was released in April 2022. Extra points for having the lyrics on the page, starting off with “Descend Into Decrepitude” (“Lies cannot save you / Hate will not heal you / God cannot hear you…”). With distorted strings and sludgy cadences, the first minute-and-a-half of this song sorts of works as an intro to the demo. After that, the vocals enter, with remembrances of crust metal and doom. It totally makes you feel like descending, and after that starts picking a rhythm inviting you to a doomy pit. Very cathartic. For the second song “Amplified Self-Loathing,” the strings are mental and ill, and follows the lyrical work: depression is a constant, as is self-loathing and hatred scattered towards humanity. This track is a little bit less accomplished, but it has some dark introspective force going to your own soul. The last track is “DYI” (“Doing Yourself In”). This reviewer does not condone nor encourage suicide, but this band might as well. My personal favorite track is “Descend Into Decrepitude,” as it gets the desired atmosphere and may convince you to enter into a rhythmic trance. For lovers of sludge and doom, and reaching the core of depression; a great first effort for UNCROSS.
With the accent on non-hardcore punk (“so one can hear the lyrics”), this band comes forth in a 1977 tradition. The B-side is reggae, whilst the topside is quite powerful guitar-oriented punk that’s really catchy…but I still can’t hear all the lyrics.
UNDERMINE comes fast and filthy out of the gate—garage punk with a guitar straight out of early ’80s South American raw punk recordings (I’m sure this is an accident, but damn if it didn’t get my attention)…but that was just the first track and there are thirteen more to go. Then there’s this acoustic and/or mellow grunge bit, and then “Lost Funerals” drops in with some JAWBREAKER-esque emotive ’90s sounds…still with that guitar sound…and there’s more acoustic shit, I think there’s a violin and my brain seriously hurts listening to this. I haven’t even flipped the record yet, but I will. And I do. And it’s the same, but more. I don’t even know what’s happening. I want to think that every reference is an accident, but there’s just too much. I guess it’s a retro grunge record that goes all over the place, recorded in a vacuum with no filter. For sure there are a couple of spots that are good, but damn this one is tough.
Talented yet really campy hardcore, I guess they sound like STRUNG OUT? This kind of hardcore was never my thing and I am not going to start listening to it at 30. They have some interesting rhythms with some very intricate guitar and drums, but UNFAIR FIGHT couldn’t really hold my attention. This record sounds like a hodgepodge of every hardcore / punk band from Epitaph and Fat Wreck Chords from the mid-2000s, and it is a bit anxiety inducing to me.
A straight edge band from Orange County, these guys belt ’em out short, melodic, and sweet. They immediately remind me of M.I.A., 7 SECONDS, and MINOR THREAT. Cool.
The melodic, rough (and annoyingly catchy) vocals clash with the jangly forceful UK alt/indie guitars and fit right in with the anthemic drive of the rhythm section. Too many “whoa-oh”s of course (it doesn’t take many to be too many), and the weird quirks in tracks like “Poison Me” serve to make Paris’ UNION JACK even more perplexing—also it makes them more interesting. Weird how something that presents this professional and this vanilla can ultimately sound this, well, weird. Choice cut: “Vasectomy.”
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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.
UNIT X is a self-proclaimed vegan straightedge band from London, Ontario, but, as opposed to the more metallic-style commonly associated with that term, UNIT X owes a greater debt to the classic, late ’80s youth crew bands. Ontario Songs offers some solid music and ideas and a nice ‘n’ gruff vocal approach. Unfortunately, I feel this four-track release is let down quite a bit by a pretty sterile mix. The drums also sound pretty clearly programmed, which can be a very hit-or-miss move in the land of punk/hardcore, and I feel like the move did not land here. Regardless, this is still a perfectly solid release that is worth your time if you’re into youth crew.
Wild blistering insanity. A whirlwind of pile-driving quickness blasting explosive vocals at a sonic split-second rate; crazed grinding and drum crashing rapidly storms this band into an invading blizzard of frizzling thrash extraordinaire like DRI. Brutal non-hesitant lyrics (especially “Misfits Are Innocent”) keep the nervous system running amuck. This tape is a must.
There’s more than a strong touch of early GBH/DISCHARGE-style vocals and sound on this EP, though the music is a bit more melodic in places. There’s good power on these three songs, but not the wall-of-sound of the aforementioned bands. Good debut.
This is an interesting one. I don’t necessarily enjoy the recording, but I do think there’s something here. At times, this sounds like it was recorded on a boombox, especially when the vocals over take the music, but the songs are (mostly) strong enough to make me kinda ignore that. Usually I would be of the opinion that something would benefit from a better quality recording, but in this case I don’t know if that is valid. The recording is kinda what gives this an identity. That said, this isn’t something that I would go back to for repeated listens.
Despite the uninspiring cover art and the LED ZEPPELIN-like intro to the title song, this new release has all the UPRIGHT CITIZENS trademarks — tight, imaginative instrumental arrangements, plaintive lead vocals, memorable hooks, and generally on-target lyrics.
Blazing, ear-shattering UK thrash attack. Four songs, all set to a hyper-organized hysteria. Clear vocals raging out against oppression and falsehood are combined with very well-produced powerful assaulting music. Short and sweet and well worth looking into!
Like most Italian HC bands, UPSET NOISE is stronger on manic attack and noise than they are on melody (although this doesn’t hold true on all eight tracks). Lots of speed riffs, raging vocals, and ultra-fast snare drumming. They live up to their name.
Pretty plodding, sort of in a Britpunk style of a few years back. Not awful, but not very exciting, that’s for sure. Cosi-cosi.
Hot punk and thrash with slight metal influences, but not too much. Lyrics are in the personal/political view. Great stuff guys, keep it up! Lyric book enclosed.
This is a live recording of this new outfit. Their sound is a metal/punk amalgam, with some thrash thrown in for good measure. Nothing new happening here, as can be judged by their one cover (WIRE’s “12XU”), but it’s done with some degree of authority and power.
A totally great debut. It’s not thrash tempo (unless played at 45, which sounds good, too), but it has very powerful, driving songs with doom-filled scenarios of the deterioration of human values. unfortunately, it’s all too true—this is the real “horror rock.” Too bad there’s no lyrics sheet.
A three-song demo. There are two lengthy sons (including a cover of the ZOMBIES’ “She’s Not There”) with funky rhythms, post-punk vocals, and instrumental overlays; the final track (“Lympdiccus”) is a rockabillyish thang with similar “cold wave” vocals.
“If there’s no discussion there’s no growth” is the byword here, and the lyrics and accompanying text/graphics certainly live up to the challenge. Musically, it’s surprisingly melodic (as in great pop punk thrash), considering the anger of the words. Very well done and should be sought out.
Some very intelligent and imaginative thrash from a band of Colorado college students. Named after that pathetic excuse for a national newspaper, these guys proved—they split up after graduating—that hardcore can be both incisive and energetic.
Dedicated to SKY SAXON, ROKY ERICKSON, etc., you may know what you’re getting into. Actually, while there is a definite ’60s punk sound here, there are aspects of more modern forms of punk too, making it interesting. It’s unfortunately not wildly psychedelic, the guitarist doing mainly some “mood” stuff with all his echoes. Gimme the real thing.
Garage-y punk and thrash from these USELESS PIECES OF SHIT. Lots of songs, grungy production, stupid punk at its best, or is that worst?
A “greatest hits” tape from a band previously known as CRIB DEATH. I think this is what Jeff could call “garage punk,” since it’s obviously a product of Midwestern winter shellshock and deprivation. They have a slower, ominous sound.
West Coast fastcore, mostly pretty standard fare. It’s fast and silly with goofy songs with subject matter like giving up your vegetarian ideals because there’s an In-N-Out Burger nearby. The unexpected thing about V.V.M. is the occasional melodic parts peppered into a few of their otherwise blisteringly fast songs. If we were to go based on the self-description on their Bandcamp page, it would seem the band thinks of these as being prog rock parts in their songs. To me, they just kinda sound like short skramz instrumental breaks before it’s back into the fastcore ripping. Who’s to say which of us is right? You be the judge. Five-song demo available online, an extra sixth song available only on the physical cassette.
YOUTHQUAKE, FORETHOUGHT, and MORAL CRUX are the standout acts on this well-rounded comp which included sounds ranging from garage-y punk to super thrash. Great stuff here.
Sorry, no sperm here, but there is an okay comp with the WALLMEN, A.P.P.L.E., PSYCHIC VIOLENTS, and others. Moderately enjoyable, and a great title.
A pretty hot east coast comp featuring CHEMICAL WASTE, AWARE, CRUCIAL YOUTH, and other quality acts, blasting out punk tuneage. Booklet enclosed.
An above average world comp featuring QUOD MASSACRE, DISARM, the WRETCHED, and more. Lots of scorching thrash and all profits go to various humanitarian groups. Booklet included.
Jersey kooks will go nuts over these thirteen Garden State acts, featuring CRUCIAL YOUTH, CHRONIC FEAR, and more. Righteous punk tuneage from these loonies.
Five Kentucky bands, mostly on the early garage and/or proto-grunge end of the spectrum. VASELINES, EUGENIUS, a little bit of SCREAMING TREES maybe…that brand of laid back action. Not bad, and it definitely grew on me.
A nasty three-song debut from San Diego’s VAIN AMBITION. A foundation of (Y2K) West Coast powerviolence gives way to a sub-five-minute Gaudi-esque sonic abomination—fierce, blasting, dual-vocal hardcore. Primal shit, with bonus points for primal packaging and presentation.
A high quality DIY demo tape here, great recording quality, nice printed package, etc. Musical style varies which keeps the interest level up, I hear BUZZCOCKS, DAMNED, UK SUBHUMANS. Very listenable, good job!
Here’s a good mid-tempo punk band that reminds me of the melodic sing—song French punk, and I hate French punk, but this is okay. The flip is kind of like MADNESS! Strange record, but a good group.
A 12″ with all the songs on one side. Once again, I’m forced to rave about Finnish thrash. This is one of the many bands from that country which inspire amazement. I hadn’t heard of these guys before, but they’ve obviously been practicing to achieve such power.
The A-side on VARAUS’ second EP represents a shift from all-out thrash to raw, fast punk, whereas the B-side continues their earlier thrash approach. Although the recording here is more garagey than most newer Finnish releases, and the songs aren’t as manic as we’ve come to expect from that extraordinary country, this record has an endearing primitive quality.
Gloriously ignorant East Coast noisecore. VARIATION bounces between start/stop fastcore blasts and a low-end North American WANKYS irreverence. “No Way Out” is doubtless the choice cut, and shows that if they wanted to shed the noisecore tag and just be a force of intensity then they would be terrifying. Sixteen bangers in total, with exactly one song on each side over 60 seconds.
This tape contains about 87 million five- to thirty-second thrash raves, kind of like early NEOS. Nothing new, but a garage orgy.
As soon as this EP kicked off, I knew I was going to love it. Fast, sloppy, garbage-grind. Lo-fi and gritty recording makes it sound like it was unearthed from a ’90s time capsule. The treble on the guitars and bass is turned up way high and gives off a classic black metal vibe. Nothing beats the pukey vocals for me. So many modern grind bands hire vocal coaches to “learn” how to scream. What’s up with that? This dude here just goes for it and it sounds a million times better than someone who had to pay to sound brutal. They’re probably a real joy to see live. Really great stuff here, and well worth a pick-up if you’re into this type of trash-grind.
I have reviewed several pandemic projects in the last few months, coming from different parts of the world, and they all share something: a feeling of brutal urgency to connect and shout out the current state of the world. And what’s more, they’re all great. VARIOLACIÓN does not escape this new paradigm. This is a four-piece hardcore band from Portland, Oregon, with components from other bands like PROHIBITED, TOTAL WAR, DEAD HUNT, and FALSE RITUAL. I love the nods to the past like that “Pretty Vacant” riff that opens the brutal “Sombra de Humo” or the repeated chorus of “Obsesión Mortal” reminiscent of OLHO SECO. Sonically, this is political hardcore that paints scenarios of everyday terror (misogyny, animal cruelty, war, etc.) through raw and primitive noise, very much in the vein of Mexican bands like M.E.L.I. and SS-20. “Massacre de Inocentes” has an ear-splitting guitar solo that is just fantastic. “Castillo Negro” has a pretty amazing First Wave of Black Metal riff vibe to it. To sum up, seven great songs from a band that hopefully won’t remain just a quarantine project.
Oddball five-piece from Slovakia with their second LP, Tlak. The music ranges from straightforward chuggy punk to post-punk-styled guitar lines to polka-tinged ska rhythms (plus a surprise ending). The singer wields a trombone, using a plunger as a mute, they all wear matching short-sleeved white shirts and striped ties, looking like begrudged office hacks, and they’ve collectively donned “Potreba” as a last name; has a cult formed here? I couldn’t find much in English about the band, but it seems like we have a group of middle-aged punkers giving it their all and having a bunch of fun (the live videos are really great). This release is available on CD or plunger-shaped USB drive (which also gives you their first album, V Rohu). Tlak is a pretty long album, so if you want a taste, try out the penultimate “Vypeníš,” which has a breezy, nostalgic air to it. And hold the front door! What’s that last track? “TRAPenie ľudí” is yes, a trap song, with all the auto-tuned, click-beat trap-ings. That’s a first for me in an MRR review. I’m out of answers, you be the judge.
Nine somewhat sloppy thrash songs with a pretty decent recording quality, but the intelligent political lyrics, which go far beyond the superficial, are the highlights of this tape. Among the subjects discussed are women (“We Love Girls”) and Poland (“Poland Crisis”).
There’s a decided MINOR THREAT/7 SECONDS influence here, which is, I’m sure, not accidental, given VERBAL ASSAULT’s straight-edge bent (unbent?). The comparison doesn’t end there, though, as the music is as tight, crisp, and committed as the aforementioned mentors, though not quite as assured. Good.
Despite Gerard’s rave about them in this issue, I find this tape good, but not overwhelming. Since I can’t understand the French lyrics, which admittedly would have a lot to do with a true appreciation of VERDUN’s impact, I can only comment on the music, which is power punk with buzzsaw guitars, mid-tempo speed, and good female vocals. Sound quality is OK.
Great rocking punk from this new four-piece. I’m not sure about the lyrics on a couple of the songs since no lyric sheet was provided. But “Freaks” is a classic. Nice package.
VERTICAL HOLD is essentially a moody post-punk band with undistorted guitars, as the two songs on this EP’s B-side demonstrate. But “Angel Dust” is the really worthwhile cut here, with its loping tempo, punkier structure, boss background vocals, and clever bass/drum-oriented bridge.
Another excellent pop-punk release from VERTICAL HOLD. The A-side is the catchier of the two, employing choruses, driving medium-tempo rhythms, and snappy snappy vocal hooks. Memorable.
Two-piece guitar/drums fast hardcore punk duo. VHS DUST rips through the nine tracks on this short cassette with time enough to incorporate multiple sound clips, as is expected within this realm of brutal music. While I would put it in the “pots n’ pans music” category, I don’t entirely know the correct subsect to describe it, and maybe that’s a good thing! It’s not fastcore, it’s not grindcore, it’s not powerviolence, but it is angry and witty and incredibly entertaining. No internet presence, so no further info available.
Stop-on-a-dime thrash and punk with strange quirky hits interspersed. The personal lyrics are pretty “punk”. Tight and hot.
A tight new band that plays fairly unoriginal thrash. Give them a bit more time to develop.
Sooner or later, someone was gonna hit “Vile” and “Reality” when throwing darts at the wall to choose their hardcore band’s name, and I’m glad it was these San Diegans, because this tape is fierce as hell and sounds like a band called VILE REALITY should. Six speedy cuts that generally come in around the 90s-second mark (“Immobilized,” which concludes the tape, is slightly longer) and bundle chuggy mosh parts, air-punching rocker moments and reverb-y, slyly psychedelic touches, topped off by the gruff-not-tough vox of Aaron McQueen. Deserves a vinyl release, although I appreciate the age of just pointing at things and saying “deserves a vinyl release” is not our current one.
Totally enjoyable stuff from the crooks, catchy rockin’ mid-tempo punk with oodles of energy and drive. Way bitchin’.
Pretty good fast thrash, with some funny songs like “No Swimming in this Pool” and “Smoke Pot and Die.”
The newest entry into the nutmeg state’s hardcore sweepstakes presents a basic thrash attack with several metal-influenced solos and that by-now-traditional stop/start structure. Nothing here will surprise the listener, and both the drums and vocals occasionally sound out-of-sync, but a lot of these cuts are hotter than hell, especially those on the B-side.
A new band from the East Bay area that features an action power sound with metallic hooks that really drives forth. Medium-paced with deep vocals over a buzzsawing guitar sound that frequently has different chords. Has a unique flavor to it, with similarities to C.O.C., BLAST, and so on. Good stuff to watch for.
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.
A very good-sounding demo, these five songs are classic mid-tempo SoCal melodic punk tunes, with tough guitar and great vocals and lyrics. Hope they get to vinyl, but in the meantime check this out.
Sounds like SSD in their “Get it Away” days: pile driving thrash and slower bulldozing noise with personal/positive lyrics. It rocks, and the price is right too!
Some good original singalong straightedge thrash from AZ. They mix it up well, plenty of hooks and positive lyrics you can relate to. If you like STALAG 13, UNIFORM CHOICE, etc. check em out!
Yeee…Ouch! Clean, vicious, scorching thrash with shitloads of power and energy. Lyrics cover personal and political sentiments. Buy this tape, you fuddy-duddy!
Strangely infectious and undeniably powerful platter on my turntable right now. Massive guitar-driven stomps with a hardcore bent—I’m thinking early ’00s not-quite-commercial not-quite-kickboxing-bro-core, maybe even a touch of emo. “Worm” is the dark brooder, while “Wake Up” hits hard and keeps hitting. For scope of appeal, VLACK lands somewhere between MODERN LIFE IS WAR and UNSANE, and carves out their own sound and approach in the process. Criminally small pressing of just over 111 because…the internet.
VOA addresses a basic thrash style with loads of spunk, though their songs structures are highly reminiscent of early ILL REPUTE. With added songwriting finesse, these guys could really develop into contenders; that’s why I can recommend this tape, and look forward to future releases.
Interesting schizo release. Simultaneously rough garage and well-done moody post-punk, and lyrically both sensitive and crude. Female vocals (with echo or harmony?) sound cool. Sounds like LOU REED meets SIOUXSIE meets GIRLS AT OUR BEST.
Many Swiss bands seem to be stuck in the punk past, and the VARWÄRTS are no exception with their ’78-’79 melodic punk rock sound. It’s cleanly produced and catchy, but there isn’t quite enough power to back up the prettiness of the tunes. Pretty good.
Twee-punk from Calgary on a very CUB/GO SAILOR/TIGER TRAP kind of trip: blithe femme vocals, a handful of chords, skeletally bashed-out drums, sugary and sweet but not saccharine. If any of the new wave-damaged oddballs of the Lumpy Records diaspora had kneeled at altars to Rose Melberg rather than Su Tissue, they might have produced something not far from the wound-up, start/stop pop bounce of “Going Your Own Way,” and there’s a similarly playful, almost post-punk asymmetry in the bass-forward (and toy keyboard-accented?) “Mrs. K.O.L.” that sounds like OH-OK crashing the International Pop Underground convention—that’s an immediate “yes” from me.
Portland’s VUELTAS has five tracks of crystal-clear, brooding deathrock. The riffs are creative and original, and the Spanish-language vocals are unsettling and spine-chilling, which is a pretty amazing feat in this genre where creepiness is replicated so prolifically that it’s easy for bands to just blur into the mist. Current or former members of POISON IDEA, ATRIARCH, and CLITERATI. Definitely something to check out for any punks of the darkwave or deathrock persuasion.
Their second release contains a slower droner, two PISTOLS type tunes, and two thrashers. All are well done, lots of guitar power as well as atmosphere. Good.
These guys have a tune called “Positive Hardcore” which pretty much tells the story: clean punk and thrash with optimistic words about unity and the evils of drugs and alcohol. Pretty good.
Fast and angry debut from Florida’s WALLED CITY. The instrumentation comes off like melodic hardcore á la DEATH BY STEREO, whereas the vocals and lyrical content sound like the recent (and only) ENACT release. I think “Broken Windows” hits the hardest, and is a good taster for the EP. Have a listen and get pissed.
Powerhouse hardcore bursts with a disjointed NYHC flavor, thrash metal churning, and posi-core changes, with an undercurrent of old school circle pit mosh. The solos are flashy fire over a steady punk drum attack. There are vibes of BUDGIE, YOUTH OF TODAY, EXODUS, and BASTARD, but WAR BISON play feel-good party crossover metal with a punk sensibility and experienced musical arrangements. The delivery is expected and familiar in an inviting way. Gang vocals galore bring me back to Lower East Side hardcore matinees or metal shows in any old random American warehouse. Acre is a classic post-hardcore metal album. I once saw a friend in a WAR BISON scarf, and damn the thing looked cozy and varsity, but I noticed the lettering was that of AMEBIX lettering, so I knew I’d be in for a bit of a treat that was all over the place. I love the full-color medieval jacket art too.
Rumor has it that WAR EFFORT started as an experiment: get into the studio and try to record an EP in a single day. Maybe we’re hearing the end result, maybe not, but I sure do love the myth-making intention. And what do we have here? Blistering and pure D-beat from a band that offers a brutal execution; an in-your-face sound that lives up to the phrase “first idea is the best idea.” This sounds fresh, free, and unabashed.
A sharp Danish band that specializes in raw, nasty garage thrash. The recording is ultra-primitive, the lyrics are strong, and the vocal delivery is intense and committed. In other words, a must.
This young Italian band presents highly dissonant, disjointed, and unmelodic thrash that is very well produced. The guitar seems totally weird, as it is so clean and smooth in contrast to the rest of the music, not to mention most punk guitar sounds.
Another crudely produced Italian indie release with intelligent political themes. UPSET NOISE has a raw thrash attack that’s tighter and catchier than that country’s norm, and hence remind me of a bit of the great INDIGESTI. WARFARE? has a slightly slower English-influenced sound, except for one experimental number (“Anarchia I”). A good blend.
A GIRLS AT OUR BEST-referencing band name and a cover of a LUNG LEG song? This new Richmond, Virginia group sure had my number! That pair of reference points had me fully expecting some spiky, effervescent girl-gang post-punk from their demo, only for it to take a decidedly tougher and darker turn—half of the members of WARM GIRLS also played in the RVA noise punk band GUMMING, so add some gnarled SST damage to the Rough Trade/Slampt equation and you’ll be getting much closer. A rumbling bass grind stabilizes the rhythmic lurch of tracks like “Moonsick (Claire’s Song)” and “Maila Nurmi,” topped with petulant, punctuated shouts that recall NOTS or early PRIESTS, while the more animated vocal delivery and wiry guitar jabs thrown into “Inertia” and their take on LUNG LEG’s “Kung Fu on the Internet” (a cover choice worthy of a chef’s kiss) add some bright, charmingly messy strokes of art-punk color to the WARM GIRLS landscape. Solid!
Established in 2019, WARNING? is a gritty and snotty skate punk band from the Bay Area. Not that much info on this band can be found, which makes you think of how it was back in the glory days of USHC. The four songs on this demo go by as fast as possible but they manage to get in your head. A good debut, now let’s see what comes next!
Power trio of some real RAMONES-heads from Leeds, UK. I’m not entirely sure what this band wants, but I have a damn good idea of what they don’t want, as, in true RAMONES fashion, three out of the four songs begin with the line “I don’t wanna be…” Four-song demo of self-proclaimed “chainsaw basement punk” in a mere seven minutes. I love everything about this. “I don’t wanna be a dickhead / I can’t help myself.” Truly my only gripe about this release is that the B-side of my tape was blank so I had to dub it myself off the band’s Bandcamp page, where the tracks were listed in a different order. It took me longer to figure out these issues than it did to listen to the demo a second time, which I was more than happy to sit through.
I think this will be out on an album soon. It’s very sparse and bass-heavy thrash. I’m not sure I like the signing that much, but the words are all great, and, given time, I’m sure their sound will become more cohesive.
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!
Here’s a new band from Brooklyn, New York. WAX plays hardcore punk with an especially loud and aggressive approach. The vocal style has a particularly howling, tortured quality to it. While it generally isn’t anything that you haven’t heard before, if you’re a fan of that strain of pissed-off and tortured HC punk, you can’t go wrong with this one. All in all, a very promising debut release that is worth your attention.
A change from this band’s earlier HC thrash release. This time, the band leans toward a very melodic, underground big-beat sound much along the same lines as KILLING JOKE. Two of five songs are instrumentals and really show the band’s musical ability.
A somewhat garagy production that, in this case, doesn’t add charm to the band’s sound. But in a studio, their sparse attack could be filled in nicely, and some of the tasty guitar and bass tricks would sound really cool (like those in “Resistance” and “Un-American”). There’s potential here.
This is a short mix of post-hardcore from Portland punks WEIRD CRIMES. On paper, I feel like this tape should be everything you want. Three well-crafted, hard-hitting tracks that don’t overstay their welcome. A short blast of ferocity. In that, this cassette succeeds to the max, but something about how this release is mixed is extremely off-putting. It’s like listening to a record through the wall you share with your annoying neighbors. It just doesn’t hit with the intensity you want to be hearing. That being said, everything besides that aspect of this cassette is on point.
Four songs here. Hardcore punk that has potential to be pretty good if given the chance to polish up the diamond in the coal here. Sound-wise, it definitely has some of the pitfalls implied given that this is a demo. Everything, while played well, sounds like it was recorded in a home studio with no options of layering vocals or guitars to give the songs a fuller sound or a decent mix. With that said, this is only a demo after all, and one is to expect such things. While I’m looking forward to hearing a future release from this band, it is quite refreshing to hear a demo that, in fact, sounds like a demo!
Indie rock-ish stuff that’s kinda lo-fi at times, mainly in the somewhat fuzzy vocals. The vocal delivery reminds me of Ian Svenonius at times and Howlin’ Pelle at others. Typically, this kind of stuff isn’t really my cup of tea, but I do find myself strangely intrigued by this—the resurgence of this type of pseudo-’90s alt-rock stuff, while mainly boring, does tend to have a few diamonds in the rough here and there. This might be one of them.
Demented. “Lunkhead” is sorta normal, “Get in the Car” is spooky and scary, and “I Forgot the Hay” is amusing. I think psychotherapy is in order here.
DRI-ish thrash with a slight shade of personality. They’re competent and possess good lyrics, but need to develop their own style.
Good wholesome lyrics like the FEEDERZ and CRUCIFUCKS backed with thrashy punk rock. Songs are structured with enough great hooks to keep you on your toes. My faves are “Godarchy,” “Russians on TV.” And “Anal Roberts.” Good shit!
Portland, Oregon, garage pop quartet WHISPER HISS recently released the Shake Me Awake cassette, their first proper full-length. Rocking similarly to DC band SLANT 6, and with familiar harmonies that recall sounds from BLONDIE and the EXPLODING HEARTS, it would be silly to not give this tape a try. Poppy as all get-out, Shake Me Awake slides around the rock spectrum with bits that surf and meld with fuzzy-toned edges. “Trouble in the Mansion” feels like a dystopian dream from the ’60s, then “Party Dress” kicks in with a sort of riot grrrl bend. In all, it’s a good time through and through.
You know, their band name pretty much hits the nail on the head on how I would define their sound. Soft as a whisper, with the wheeze of a hiss. Heavy on feels, WHISPER HISS offer up soft-edged darkwave post-punk, that’s dark with a heady innuendo of uncertainty. All the melodies are carried by synth and thick bass, and guitar is absent to their binary sound that is only punctuated with vocals. And I’ll be honest, I was waiting for them to really bite into it, or perhaps unravel, but they stayed steady on a slow-weaving and steady course with “Everything Must Go,” “Telepathy,” and “Undone.” The only song that seemed to veer into looser, weirder, and more screamy territory was “Wake-Up Call,” which of course is always well-received on my end. Very chill post-wave punk for these Portlanders.
Getting old is strange. Listening to new(er) bands draw from disparate and foreign influences to create something that sounds familiar in the context of DIY punk is interesting to say the least, and WHITE BEAST is this feeling in spades…’90s grunge, dark indie songsmiths, SYSTEM OF A DOWN, and infectious modern punk anthems will all find a place to nest here, and the Richmond, VA bass/drums duo owns all of it in a way that’s impossible to criticize. When’s the last time you heard a band conjure GODHEADSILO and INTERPOL?
Tight, hard-edged punk (and some thrash). WHITE NOISE has that full-sounding rock ’n’ roll attack Á la DOA or CH3, to which they add extremely gruff lead vocals and strong drumming. Don’t overlook these guys.
A driving two-song release that is basically thrash with some metal/rock guitar bits thrown in. Liked the thrash parts, loathed the leads—cant have everything.
Some thrash classics here like “I Hate My Toes” and “I Wanna Be Beaver Cleaver.”
This is stylistically not unlike a spacey KILLDOZER 85 vocally and in compositional structure; the thing I found continually annoying was the endless guitar wanking that attenuated all of this LP’s intensity and power. More discipline next time, guys. Boring.
The second release by this band is not an easy one to peg. It’s god that heavy rock-fuck-you-we-do-it-this-way sound that you hear in bands like BLACK FLAG and DAS DAMEN, but some of the vocals really remind me of SACCHARINE TRUST with their strange poetry. I like this… but I still like BLACK FLAG.
Pretty hot straightforward punk from this Bay Area act that no one hears about much. Includes some neat covers and nine originals. Fun stuff.
Mindless Dolls is an enjoyable album of garage rock moderne. The music is fuzzy and pleasant. The vocals have an ’80s flatly spoken quality. The combination is upbeat and airy even with the occasional darker lyrics.
The first thirty seconds of this cassette might lead you to think that you’re in store for some doomy stoner rock, which is most assuredly not the case. Instead, WILLFUL DISOBEDIENCE plays fast and aggravated punk rock with bouncing bass lines and shouted vocals. There does seem to be a subtle metal influence creeping in, but I think it’s just the way the drummer uses a china cymbal to accent certain parts. The song “Butthole to Butthole” inexplicably sounds like a DWARVES B-side and detracts from a release that otherwise seems to have fairly thoughtful lyrical content. All in all, this isn’t terrible, but it’s hard to commend something so average in a time when there are multitudinous bands pushing the boundaries of what punk can sound like.
Pretty good mid-tempo punk with positive, optimistic words. A little similar to early DAG NASTY, but not as catchy. Worth a listen.
This a pretty short compact disc of six melodic hardcore songs (well, five of them are). It’s similar to the more straightforward AT THE DRIVE IN songs, or something that I imagine Epitaph Records would have been putting out in 1999. Those first five are all slick-sounding, uptempo numbers with sung/yelled vocals, and a bunch of hooks that unfortunately don’t make the songs catchy. The last song is a plodding, goth-y sort of number that might be the most interesting song here.
Split between two bands from Osnabrück, Germany. VICIO plays melodic hardcore somewhere between vintage BAD RELIGION and Midwest classics like DIE KREUZEN. The clear winner is “Hass,” with its shouted vocals and a SLAYER-esque mini-riff in the chorus that made my hand involuntarily grip the invisible orange. “Future is Now” somehow meshes system-smashing lyrics and the refrain from NEIL YOUNG’s “Heart of Gold,” complete with backing vocals. And “Eat the Rich” is a rowdy singalong that repeats “You are rich / We are poor / We will eat you, sure.” WIRKSTOFF P sounds remarkably similar and seems to share a vocalist with VICIO. Their side is a touch more melodic, featuring some sung vocals that turn the dial more to skate punk. “Venner Feengesänge und Elfentanz” is a mid-tempo jam with heart-tugging minor chord melodies that wouldn’t be out of place on one of those ’90s Epitaph comps. Check it out If you ever had a cargo shorts era.
First off, I think the band name is awesome. WISE GUISE are four women from Toronto. They play a melodic style of punk that sometimes reminds me of RANCID (or the INTERRUPTERS). In other words, it’s got a bit of a ska vibe going on. The vocalist sometimes reminds me of Kim Shattuck. This is their debut EP. Solid effort.
Well, this absolutely rules. The tape of the month, for my money! I believe WITCH PISS to be a solo project from Simi Valley, CA. Five songs of completely idiotic, synth-heavy, drum-machine-driven moron music. Subject matter of the songs ranges from painting The Hamburglar as a revolutionary, to the troubles of being Garfield, to transmogrifying oneself into a slug, and all things in between. This tape is super fun and easy to flip and continue listening to, as there is an A-side of the tape as well as an “also A”-side. Unfortunately for all fans of the utterly absurd, the WITCH PISS Bandcamp page informs me that this cassette tape is already sold out. Sorry, mutants.
A six-song release that emphasizes poppy punk with lots of guitar and vocals, the sort of thing that was popular five or so years ago. At times it’s a bit too rockish for me, or maybe too laid-back, but on several tracks they really cut loose.
Sun-baked punk, thrash, Egypto-crypto-weirdness. Sound quality is shaky at times, but fans of Southwest psycho blues will love it.
Not metal at all, but a sort of psychedelicized heavy punk sound. Very well-produced, this eleven-song tape is both “different” and yet still powerful. Most of the lyrics are a cut above, too. Worth checking out.
Punk, thrash, early-’70s rock, and metal thrown into the old rock’n’roll blender, and you get 22 songs. Some cut it, some don’t (self-indulgence) from this all-male combo.
Some classic thrash, stop-and-go variety, done well and powerfully, although the overall impact is diminished a bit by songs that are almost too fast for maximum effect, and by the limitations of production. Excellent lyrics.
Lots of metal damage here, which maybe would be decent sounding in the studio, but on this live recording (ten tunes) doesn’t come off that slickly. The power is evident (especially on the drums). Studio should produce better results.
More hot Italian thrash on a DIY EP. INDIGESTI are fast, tight, and powerful. They’ve got one slow-fast number with heavy metal guitar parts (“Mai”) amid the thrashers, and a good snotty vocalist. The WRETCHED are faster, sloppier, and right out of the garage, production-wise. The Red Brigades could have made General Dozier’s ears bleed with music by these two bands.
The second release by Italy’s WRETCHED. Lightning fast disorder whirlpools completely unrestrained destruction, as wailing guitar bashes and shrilling raw vocals journey the cranium into a bulldozing bombardment of maniacal unhesitant crushing speed. If you’re a fan of the NEOS, TERVEET KÄDET, or DEEP WOUND, feel the colossal quickness of the WRETCHED.
Still another thunderous, exciting EP from Italy’s WRETCHED. The compositions on this record are somewhat longer than on their previous efforts, but the messy, explosive thrash sound remains highly effective, especially on steamrollers like “Mai Arrendersi” and the title track. No question about it, here’s another winner. Bravo!
As the title states, this is not an actual live album, rather an album with skits and the sound of audience members thrown in here and there. This concept is fucking stupid. It’s not humorous and adds nothing to this recording. Now let’s move on to the band. Bass, drums, vocals. OK. It’s actually not that bad, but for me, this is also something I would probably ever listen to again. Part of it is the dude’s vocals. They’re annoying in a less shrill, wannabe Biafra kind of a way. I just can’t do it. Musically, it’s fine. The whole thing just leans way more towards goofy alt-rock than I personally prefer…and there’s an “interesting” cover of TAYLOR SWIFT. Weird.
The debut EP from this Belgian band proves to be a fairly innovative thrash-oriented release. Rather than conforming to expectations, DE WULPSE VARKENS occasionally confound with an odd fusion of modern hardcore elements. It’s hard to describe exactly how they’re different, but it has something to do with their combination of intensity and sudden musical shifts. Worthwhile.
Pretty decent but somewhat stilted thrash. I say stilted in that the drumming is so repressed in a chunky kind of way that the real power here doesn’t quite come across. Otherwise, it’s quite all right with excellent lyrics and some occasionally interesting changes.
There are three tracks here, all in the “angry young singer-songwriter vein.” It’s sort of a pissed, poetic stream-of-consciousness rap laid over driving rhythms, not unlike early LOU REED or JIM CARROLL (but with better lyrics). They’re an enjoyable (though sometimes both tedious and thrilling) live act, too.
Uncompromising noisecore from two New Orleans powerhouses. XBRACKISHX is truly, and by design, all over the map—samples, interludes, shit-fi grind, Casio pop, hardline vegan black metal guitars driving a one-person drum machine assault. SHITLOAD opens up with a damaged bass blasting “Metal Health (Bang Your Head)” while a who’s-who of New Orleans notables rep The West Bank for 68 seconds before the sonic shit-machine blasts through eight doses of noisecore, brutalizing mainstream heavy metal melodies as an interlude between blasts (HALEN, MAIDEN, LICA all get the business). This is the kind of tape where you exhale after each side…and you take a deep careful breath before you hit play.
This first Mexican punk record is a four-song job. Stop-and-go mid-tempo, it’s amazing that anyone could get an indie record out there considering the shambles their economy’s in.
XUI from Oakland plays a fast, filthy, and agile kind of hardcore that reminds me a bit of the mighty GLUE from Austin. Speedy and groovy riffs shoot out of this tape recklessly while the singer’s frank and frothy barking incites the melee, and all four songs hit the mark. A good start.
More free-punk explorations from XV! Basement Tapes consists of various unreleased demos, live jams, and practice recordings from 2018 and 2019, documenting some of the conceptual process that ultimately resulted in their sold-out-in-one-day debut LP from last year. That record was willfully non-linear but still concise, and almost approaching a conventional art-punk angularity, while these tracks generally embrace a more raw, loose approach that at various times suggests anything from early HALF JAPANESE at their skronkiest to a dreamy VELVET UNDERGROUND drift to the equally spiky and shaky sounds of the early ’80s UK DIY bedroom-taper scene. Free-association vocals chanted or recited over self-destructing rhythms and scribbling, scratchy guitar; truly No Wave in the most literal sense of the term.
According to the lyric sheet, Youth In Asia recorded this after one rehearsal. I can tell, but it’s still OK. The lyrics are excellent, especially in “Used” and “No More Middle Class.” Keep working at it!
A 15-song tape that isn’t for sale. At times, it reminds me of Fresno’s CAPITOL PUNISHMENT, with its extremely gruff vocals and all-out thrash attack. Unrelenting and excellent, so wait for future releases.
Buzzing, frantics riffs with Burning Spirits-like melodies blasted onto tight, fast-paced drumming. The record bursts as suddenly as this review, it’s right on. There is no bullshit or lead-up. The singer screams in desperate horror balanced with tired disgust. The record maintains a constant push. It’s dirty, distorted into a mush, and urgent—so it sounds real. So far, so good. My excitement only lowers when I start to pay attention to the songs and then find myself left behind by the record’s busting energy. Even if loud and distorted, the rather mid-tempo, rocking tracks at the middle of the album start to lack the chaotic, absurd mess. It is still hardcore, a solid take, but as the songs lay back, the noise cannot cover the drop in energy. Sliced up to couple 7”s, this might work better, because either the tricks to keep things varied within a massive work are not as effective, or the sound is too homogenous to remain entertaining throughout the whole record. It does not mean the record lacks any potential, although I have to play along with them and hype myself to really enjoy it, instead the other way around when I feel that the record attracts me to its own madness. Still, it’s great that such long-existing bands are putting out full-length albums, and the quality of this release is way above the average. Maybe I have a blind spot for them because there is nothing they should do differently. I hear the dedication and craft, but even after dozens of listening sessions, I still feel my excitement is not shaken. Maybe my expectations were too high? If you are into the style that is discussed here, do yourself a favor and check them out, and I hope you will love it. The cover art is beautiful.
These gals make the BEASTIE BOYS look like flaccid wimps, doing intelligent and hilarious acapella raps about macho goons, the FCC, poo, etc. With loads of funny between-the-songs banter. Totally rad, and the “special prizes” are yucky!
Chunk punk here, with a garage-y edge. Lyrics cover vegetable soup, dumb stories, and more fun!
Cataclysmic darkwave/post-punk/hardcore sound from Brooklyn’s YOUNG RUINS. The opener “Rabbits” has a tremulous guitar riff like JOY DIVISION’s “New Dawn Fades,” which simply repeats “I could be the god / You could be the lamb / Take you by throat.” Even in our news-cycle culture that has forgotten last month, let alone last year’s news, this recording from 2016, finally released in 2021, is still very current. “Actual Women” and “Law Enforcement” speak for themselves, while “On Hold” encapsulates YOUNG RUINS stream of conscience theme. Songs wonder lyrically, brooding on the mundane, mixed with social conflict, as in “So alive culturally, little house on the BQE / We all still lock our doors at night / Expensive, local, everything” from the closer “Game Over.” The instrumentation is jabby and loud, but with earned breaks from chaos; and mostly the songs move in a single direction: rising crescendo to end right there at the top, ignoring typical verse/chorus patterns. I would highly recommend this cassette.
Excellent hardcore with melody. Powerfully delivered in both slower and faster songs, the band provides great lyrics and sentiments as well. A bit of reggae is mixed in, breaking up things nicely. Good debut, and a credit to their genre.
YOUTH DEPRIVATION is the new venture of Groningen’s hardcore punk aficionados that used to rock out in KOMPLEX, SYSTEM BASTARD, HUMAN CORROSION, and DEVOID, and they do a great job living up to their old bands’ reputations. Dealing with one’s mental health has been a recurring theme in many punk bands, and the genre itself can act as a therapy to fight off some personal demons and deal with trauma. This is exactly what goes on in this record, an escape valve that goes off when the pressure is too great to handle. RUDIMENTARY PENI are an obvious influence to spot in this one, and the later era of BLACK FLAG. A bleak piece of punk hardcore that is a reality slap.
LA punk with female lead vocals. Stylistically, it fluctuates between modern thrash and more traditional punk. Surprisingly good for unknown band, and the song about Oki Dog—the infamous punk grazing ground—is hilarious.
Like WHITE CROSS, YOUTH KORPS have that extra umph that thrash bands need to stand out in this day and age. Most of the tracks here are really intense thrashers, but there’s one anguished metallic cut that sounds a lot like BLACK FLAG’s “Damaged” (“Need a Fix”). This is real strong, so I hope they release it on vinyl.
A really great thrash outfit from the Toronto area. The instrumentation is more than competent, but the lyrics are what really stand out—intelligent, committed, positive, and deliberate. Excellent!
For $1.50, this is the deal of the month. This tape rips! Ten songs of excellent sound quality very musically from HÜSKER DÜ-ish anthems to HC. In the same league as RAW POWER. Good lyrics. An exciting release!
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.
From Houston, Texas, we are delivered this graceful debut of metallic crust punk. Five tracks in under sixteen minutes of stench metal punk, filled with sludgy cadences, sick guitars with a ball-of-noise sound, and anger-filled, pain-induced vocals with a cathartic cadence releasing all, plus heavy drums that often take the speedway before leaving a spree of chaos behind them and with you. Raw energy contained and let loose at different paces, with great palm-muting and riffy strings. Suggested track: “…And How Did We Get Here?” for seekers of crust punk sounds of a more metallic nature.
Debut release of no-frills punk from this Canadian power-trio. Well, there might be one singular frill. The second song on the four-song demo adds a little post-punky WIRE vibe into their standard faster realm of mid-tempo punk sound, and it is the coolest song on the tape. All the songs are instantly catchy and driving. The demo is short enough that if you’re anything like me, you’ll end up flipping it over and over when the tape clicks just to get your fix.
From Wyoming, ZERO FUNCTION plays dense, dark hardcore with a fuzzy finish. On this eight-song tape, the songs are effective in painting bleak and frightening pictures, like with the noisy, stretched-out intro and warped lyrics on “Pull,” and the interspersed system-failure-like wreckage on “Serve No Purpose.” I keep seeing this producer Will Killingsworth’s name on new projects, each time accompanied by a solid sound, and this continues that streak. Its aura of hopelessness scratches the same itch as an artsy horror flick.
Some finger-snapping garagey weirdness here—at times it reminds me of the RESIDENTS. As the enclosed note said, it might be “too intense for our fragile HC tastes.” Correct.
Complete mindfuck intellectual noise-core. Fans of NOXAGT, BOREDOMS, or MELT BANANA will want to take note, and the uninitiated will want to strap in before diving into this Russian act. Chaotic pogo/blast drums, shrill screams, nonsensical construction, and manic horns throughout. It’s a fukkn mess to say the least, and it’s really, really great.
Six songs from this sparsely recorded Dutch thrash band, combining some English sounds with U.S. and Finnish influences. The great insert has a weird picture of about 40 guys with mohawks sitting around in army clothes.
Pretty standard punk and thrash without too much personality, save their catchy sing-along bits. Lyrically, I don’t know, but “Zombie Mosh” is pretty funny.
Clever, medium-weight pop with occasional psychedelic effects and annoying vocals. Some of the songs are subtly appealing, some are driving and straightforward, some are innovative, and a few artsy numbers are best avoided. A little better than the BONGOS, not as strong as the SHOES.
This is a strange one, for sure. ZURICH BY THE JAPANESE jumps from bedroom-pop to ambient-drone to experimental-noise to singer-songwriter folk to shoegaze to all kinds of other weird obscure sub-genres that I’m not sure I fully understand, all on one lo-fi cassette. It’s not particularly surprising that they’re able to cover such a wide range, considering there are 24 songs on this demo. It’s all pretty confusing, and some of the songs even completely change genre unexpectedly right in the middle of themselves, making it difficult to follow along to try to point out which, if any, of the songs are standout tracks. Perhaps it’s my small brain at fault, but it all comes off as way more of an art project than a band, and I think I need a nap after navigating my way through the entirety of this release.
This 7″ represents the tracks ZYNTHSLAKT released on two split EPs with N.O.S. and the PAST, and the material here is gritty, catchy, and highly original. A rockin’ punk style is evident on all six songs, though I was particularly drawn to the vocal choruses on “Es Ist Krieg.” A good one.
Instantly addictive, high-energy punk. SPITS-caliber paired with SOVIETTES-level hooks, all given the business with guitar leads sharing the spotlight with sharp, urgent vocals. Check “I’m Not Paying Rent” and know that you’ll be hearing from Canada’s [ASS][ASS][INS] again—great stuff!
This six-song EP from Thessaloniki, Greece combines noise rock guitar bashing over charging hardcore, with screamed ’n’ scraped vocals and a crunchy drum pounding in a live-bled noisy recording. The total effect is somewhat like if you steered a raw demo of GUZZARD or HAMMERHEAD onto a basic hardcore template, left room for the guitars to be repetitively smashed into a hammering wall of noise, and then had Poffen from TOTALITÄR do the vocals. An interpretive enough style that breaks for a freakout of soloing guitar squiggles or a drum-driven breakdown. There’s no lyrics or even song titles on this record, with the cover looking like either runes or the pattern on a mid-century formica coffee table. Not a bad listen, but either a wilder leap into unfamiliar territory, a far more brutal push, or a latch to some sort of meaning might seal the deal. 200 made.
Hot damn! This smokes!! Absolutely raging raw punk from Athens, Greece. This album is packed to the gills with killer riffs. With the unrelenting pounding of an incessant D-beat and vicious buzzsaw bass, ΠΥΡ ΚΑΤΑ ΒΟΥΛΗΣH (“fire at will” in English) leaves a path of utter destruction in their wake. Not dissimilar to recent offerings from CHAINSAW or RAT CAGE, there are distinctive Scandinavian influences at play here—and like the aforementioned bands, ΠΥΡ ΚΑΤΑ ΒΟΥΛΗΣH wields those influences to great effect. From top to bottom, this just doesn’t let up. Robin Wiberg’s artwork perfectly encapsulates the paroxysms of outrage and anger found within. It’s undeniable; this is a top-shelf scorcher.
