Noise Noise Noise
New releases, zines, books and other nonsense... another week, another round of reviews.
RÅPUNK: The Birth of Swedish Hardcore, 1981–1989
In an age where it feels like there is a new book about punk every other week - this fine tome stands alone. Maybe it’s because of thousands of images contained within, or it could be the dive into the sociological context wherein the first wave of Swedish punk arose, which in turned gave birth to the atonal and primal anger which could be found in hardcore bands like SKITSLICKERS, MOB 47, AVSKUM, etc. Perhaps it is the knowledge of the global influence these bands had on both punk and metal - I mean, is there an ENTOMBED or AT THE GATES without ANTI CIMEX? It’s probably all of these things, as well as the overarching fanzine like feel to it - documentation by those part of the scene they are documenting, for the simple love of doing so, a point made in the introduction to the book written by author and compiler, David Andersson (of IDENTITY & Bubbel-Bad fanzine).
The Swedish scene which birthed the raw, primitive attack documented in this book wasn’t much more than a few hundred people but the volume of zines, records, and tapes stand as a testament of the passion of the participants and their enthusiasm for creating and chronicling this music scene which stood as an alternative to the stagnative nature of mainstream culture. This has long been the most important part of hardcore punk - the independence, the sense of self reliance, the realization of the importance of documentation and drive towards creating your own culture out of love for the thing rather than for the profit which could be made from it. Of course, it helps if the band’s musical output reflects the anger soaked backlash against a suffocatingly, conformist society which is what is documented herein.
So here we are - 300 plus pages, thousands of photos - a sizable portion never before seen and those which have been, never seen in this quality, an introduction from Lee Dorian (NAPALM DEATH), deep dives into various labels, zines, the larger impact on the culture, and the exploration of global network of friends presented beautifully. For me, the gold standard of this sort of book has long been Cynthia Connolly’s Banned in DC which told the visual tale of DC hardcore and if anything this surpasses that in that it places a greater emphasis on the context around the birth of this scene and, thanks to the passage of time, a reflection on what drives the importance. For me, anyone with even a passing interest in hardcore should be adding this to their collection.
Published by No Good - www.nogood.world
Written and compiled by David Andersson.
Edited by Caroline Södergen & Justin Hallström
In the coming weeks be on the outlook for a in-depth interview with the author and editors of this book.
This week’s sounds…
Thudding, mid-paced hardcore punk with Spanish vocals - the singer reminds me a little of Almá Gomez from COCADICTOS. I like this but I wish it were a little zestier in the pacing.
This is fucking great - Califorinia punk taking sizable cues from mid to late 80s DC hardcore sound. Melodic yet assertive in its approach - massive, shimmering guitars in a SWIZ meets Can I Say-era DAG NASTY.
Ripping and rampaging hardcore thrash from The Netherlands - sixteen high octane cuts of nonstop power. A Dutch RIPCORD? HERESY but with tulips? More please!
Eleven tracks and only one crosses the one minute mark - jackhammer fast hardcore with monstrous, face moshing breakdowns. Relentless in that CROSSED OUT / INFEST sort of way but with a more modern, clean production style. Of course I love this.
Chaotic and menacing punk from right here in Richmond - I don’t go see this band enough and this LP has me questioning why I’m being so lame. Its got this metallic, teeth scraping unease about it in a way that makes me think it almost could be the missing link between the absurd brutality the first DIE KREUZEN LP and the more artsy pretense of October File mixed with some of the ominous overtones of STEEL POLE BATHTUB.
CLUSTER BOMB UNIT - Abgesang LP
I had no idea this, apparently, long running German band was still active - I feel like its been almost 25 years since I first saw them and in many ways they are still the same sort of mid-paced, slightly crusty, slightly d-beat band I saw in a UAW hall next to a corn field in Ohio. New singer, maybe less distortion and d-beat drudgery but still a solid band.
Quick paced hawdkaw with a nod to that late 90s NYHC metallic groove thing in the breakdowns. I’m into the fact that they swiped lyrics from Neil Young’s “Needle And The Damage Done”
CORONARY - The Future Is Now LP
I know its dumb that I mentally pigeon hole Rad Girlfriend releases into just being pop punk but this ain’t that - thick, metal inflected thrashy hardcore with snarly vocals and plenty of gang vocals. There’s a lot here that reminds me of the early days of MUNICIPAL WASTE at least musically.
Mid-paced, growly hardcore - a bit disjointed and sloppy but nothing wrong with that.
I wish I could remember who it was but, I recall reading an interview with one of those early Swedish hardcore band about their reunion record or tour and them being like “oh no, we didn’t break up we just had kids, now the kids are grown and we can continue with our lives.” I like to think this is like that - its solid quick paced punk rock with oodles of snot and nods to snotty, long forgotten bands like I FARM or I SPY but with more hardcore style breakdowns.
FILATURE - Nos Etats, La Norme 12”
Mournfully, melodic French punk soaked in reverb and flanger effects - its a haunting and powerful punk record. If you loved that PRISONNIER DU TEMPS LP from last year as much as I did, this will be right up your alley - though the aggro is turned down a little here.
FREDAG DEN 13:e - Mänskliga Gränstillstånd LP
FREDAG DEN 13:E were a total surprise for me when I caught them in Stockholm a few years back. Live, they were just absolutely crushing in that steamroller, stadium crust manner. It’s a little bit DISFEAR, a little bit FROM ASHES RISE with a twinge of Swedish melodic death metal thrown in for good measure. On this new record they continue on in that same fashion - think massive guitars, thick vocal onslaught and just mountains of energy.
GASOLINE DREAM - Life's A Dream EP
I wonder if the name is a reference to the OUTKAST song? Even if it’s not, the same lyrical approach towards the malaise around the struggles of modern life with a slight apocolyptic viewpoint is present here - albeit, less funky and instead presented with a wall of crushing guitars and shredded vocal chord screaming.
Slightly discordant yet quick paced hardcore from Paris - not quite the noise not music, full throttle thrash of HEIMAT-LOS but certainly not far removed from it. I really like how they use the swirling, phaser effect to help creating some of the disquieting feel which the align with a more straight forward hardcore model of “thrash-breakdown-thrash again.”
HOPE? - Your Perception Is Not My Reality EP
Crusty anarcho-punk from the Pacific Northwest with a contemptuous lyrical approach. Fairly mid-tempo d-beat with a twinge of rocknroll swagger. The guitars have that same sort molasses thick, NAUSEA style feel to them which is always good in my book.
Insane walls of noise with brief interjections of 1000mph hardcore thrash that sounds like it was recorded in a basement on a boombox. I love this.
UK82 inspired punk from Rhode Island - its a super raw boom box recording(note: yes I know it was probably done on an iPhone but boom box sounds cool, iPhone sounds like you are dorks). There’s potential here - some of it feels like if AMDE PETERSENS ARMÉ were more into early UK hardcore over USHC.
INTERPUNKCE - Nenávidět Srdcem, Milovat Nožem EP
Full bore thrashing attack from this Czech band - it is ferocious in its pacing with occasional forays into 80s style crossover riffing and descents into occasional breakdowns before flooring it again into intense bouts of velocity. Fucking great!
INITIATE live have always been a force to reckon with and while I’ve always enjoyed their recorded output this is the first release that really matches what its like to have them full on in your face. It’s a great blend of metal and old school hardcore influences a la STRIFE’s One Truth or JUDGE’s Bringing It Down backing up vocalist Crystal’s angst soaked vocal delivery.
What happens when members of ORDEN MUNDIAL and BARCELONA combine - well you get this powerful punk record. Its seven swirling, tension soaked, moderately herky jerky tracks of auditory dissonance which marries the brooding anger of RUDIMENTARY PENI to the more primal angular thrashing approach of NOG WATT.
LAST GASP - Who Wants To Die Tonight? LP
Quick paced and melodic Clevo hardcore - less INTEGRITY and more Price of Maturity-era FACE VALUE in its feel. Bouncy breakdowns set up blasts of speed to create an musical backdrop for lyrics describing the frustration of living in a rust belt town.
LATHE OF HEAVEN - Bound By Naked Skies LP
Epic, ominous and delightfully spooky dark wave from New York City - former members of P.A.W.N.S. for those keeping score and like that band, this takes cues from a myriad of early 80s black clad anarcho and gothic punk. There’s a heavy tinge of KILLING JOKE in their Fire Dances period but with enough modern feeling to keep it more heavy and less pop.
LIFE ABUSE / SKREWBALL - Split EP
Check it out - LIFE ABUSE is former members of DEVOID OF FAITH, UNDER ATTACK, & EUCHARIST - its this crushing bulldozer of hardcore that combines crunching guitars with a snarly vocal approach. Thick, mid-paced punk with plenty of power. On the flip we have the UK’s SKREWBALL which takes more of a faster approach and has a more airy thrashing feel to it. Solid.
M.U.G. - "Shoplifters" Demo CS
Noodley mid-tempo Dutch punk thats a little bit moshy but also weird and mechanical in how it sort of just ticks along like RUDIMENTARY PENI.
Vocalist Dan Yemin is the sweetest dude - its hard to fathom how he can sound so pissed but then you remember that he’s also punk as fuck and there is a reason people end up punk as fuck for so many decades. In my lizard brain, PAINT IT BLACK used to be more melodic and this isn’t really that - it’s a stomping, and absolutely rabid sounding hardcore record which ticks so many boxes for me. Old school in all the best, non-corny ways, with plenty of dynamics and a production style which allows the dissonant moments and the occasional melodic twists to serve to highlight the harsh, rapid fire moments. This style of hardcore is, frankly, done so rarely these days period and even more so done this well. Great, great, great!
RESTRAINING ORDER - Locked In Time LP
This record is perfect. Like when I first heard this I was like noooo way tooo clean - but then I rubbed some sand paper on my ears and it improved things. RESTRAINING ORDER play USHC in the most classic manner possible and much better than others doing the same. Its ripping fast, filled with plenty of infectious breakdowns and I just can’t get enough.
Five tracks of raucous UK punk, soaked in jangling guitars, hooks and plenty of that same sort of beer soaked chaos to be found on that first CHUBBY & THE GANG LP but rather than an alcohol soaked rave up, this is more the soundtrack to your despondent and angry lads night out.
Rough and tumble melodic blasts of dour ass Danish punk - whats up with all the sad bands from Copenhagen? Any way - this is really great, thats the important thing to know here - truly powerful and compelling. I love the vocalist’s use of melody against the drive of the instrumentation. Plenty of great dynamics and the right use of guitars to emphasize the most interesting bits.
In some ways, SPIRITUAL CRAMP are too big, too expansive in their vision for the limitations that the punk world can present. It’s something I’ve long felt and here we go with their debut LP which is this perfect indie pop record with roots firmly planted in the sonic garden bed of punk but with such consciously well crafted songs I’d be shocked if this doesn’t cause them to explode a la ARTIC MONKEYS or FRANZ FERDINAND or BLUR. I’m not stating that in a bad way, and they don’t sound like the aforementioned but its the vibe. I’m just stating facts maaaan - its a perfect melding of this myriad of Brit-pop ideas played with oodles of sass and the sort of anger soaked energy you really only find in a bunch of dudes who came up punk. Its an outstanding record, I’ll just miss seeing them in small spaces.
Gnarly, snarly as shit hardcore punk from the SF Bay Area - its this slithery, snaking, grinding, buzzsaw sounding hammer to face auditory onslaught. Massive, modern production but not overly blown out or anything - just absolutely vicious.
Percussive, almost industrial sounding blasts of churning mayhem - snarled noise soaked vocals, mechanical guitars - it’s a trip. Absolutely violent.
Forceful blasts of hardcore that owe a lot to 80s Norwegian bands like SO MUCH HATE - melodic, powerful riffing with a tinge of darkness and melancholy.
Indonesian dark wave that comes off with the same sense of icy dread typically found in 80s German post punk - ominous, spooky punk.
Think BOLT THROWER meets AMEBIX (or maybe AXEGRINDER?). Heavy, slightly plodding crust that is seemingly made perfect for an overcast afternoon spent playing Warhammer 40k and sipping mead.
Want to check out the latest in the best and the brightest of the current Bay Area punk scene? Well here’s your chance - running the full breath of the underground this serves a great sampler and intro to all the excellence that makes up the sound of the San Francisco, Oakland and beyond. Features tracks by FALSE FLAG, URBAN SPRAWL, PLANET ON A CHAIN, CELL ROT, SURPRISE PRIVILEGE, LUV, GREYHOUND, ANINOKO, GOSH, REPO MAN, IRRITANT, WHARF ,DOC AND HE PARASITES, XUI, ANSIBLE, THE VAXXINES, WESTERN ADDICTION, AK/47, TESS & THE DETAILS, TENSION SPAN, VIOLENT COERCION, SIMULATION and GEORGE CRUSTANZA
Total Nada fucking rips, definitely going to check out that Earth Demo.
love the recs