War, inside my head...
The onslaught of new noise slowly destroying my hearing continues...
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Onward to eardrum destruction…
Quick and snappy garage punk with a B-movie and horror theme to the lyrics. Not to fret, no MISFITS rip going on here - its more 60s trashrock punk than a Bullet outtake.
BANDA DES FEMER - Renou Infecciosa
Primitive and slightly disjointed d-beat punk from Catalunya (not Spain, ahem). Its a bit fuzzy but not that blown out distort-o-rama sound so popular with the kids today. If you told me this was a long lost demo of some band that used to play with RIP and MG15 in 1985, I’d believe you.
Blown the fuck out raw punk from Canada - it literally sounds like someone just turned the static on the television, cranked it to one million and then hired Animal from the Muppets to play drums. This isn’t a bad thing but the sorta tea that is more for those who tie shoe strings around their heads than those that can discuss the nuances of differing years Champion sweatshirt manufacturing. I find it enjoyable.
With a title like that, you’d think this would sound more like 4 SKINS or something but when you hit play its got this undercurrent of keyboard driven New Wave to it - like think sensitive thug music like CRIMINAL/NEW YORK HOUNDS. I love this vibe.
Indonesian band who drink from the same well as Toronto’s S.H.I.T. - rapid fire, staccato punk soaked in distortion and swirling flange. This rules.
Noisy, mid tempo punk from Russia - its got a bit of that GEL style strut and syncopation to it that I enjoy with vocals that are distorted and hyper echo soaked. The fourth track here, “Dickhead” has a really cool hook to it and is the clear winner.
CROSSHAIRS - Perverted Law 12”
Take early 80s USHC sound like say... CIRCLE JERKS and mix it with a bit of UK82 like say… PARTISANS and cram them together and you get CROSSHAIRS. It’s really well done fusion of two classic sounds I absolutely love - sorta like SAVAGEHEADS or CAREER SUICIDE.
Absolutely raging, thrashing hardcore punk from Greece. Tight, crisp production which makes it stand out from the de rigueur distort everything approach of the current era. I imagine this is sorta what DRI or AGNOSTIC FRONT would have sorta sounded like had they not gone metal after their respective first LPs.
DESTRUCT - Onward to Collapse: Live 2021 LP
Limited to 200 version of a tape released last year. Yep, its a live recording, so it’s got that extra energy sometimes missing on records but, unlike a lot of live recordings, this sounds really great - sounds like its probs straight off the soundboard. You should probably already know DESTRUCT as they are one of the finest bands doing this take on BASTARD meets VARUKERS style hardcore going these days but, if you don’t, this is a pretty good intro. Good luck hunting it down.
Thumping and burly d-beat hardcore from Barcelona - it oozes with energy and has some quality hooks and melody sneaking in here and there separating it from a lot of their contemporaries.
THE FACE YOU MAKE WHEN YOU REALLY LOOSE "Medieval Solutions For Modern Times" CS
Have you every read those “What If…” comics Marvel does where they posit the different paths things could have gone in the MCU? This is my version of that - like what if COLD IS LIFE got really into crust and råpunk but still released a record with the same riffs as Born To Land hard but soaked it in reverb and distortion? This is sort of the answer to that question. I think I need to sit with this a bit more.
Total WRETCHED worship here, especially on the drums. It’s not as chaotic and hectic but hot damn that drummer sounds so much like Giancarlo. The one sheet mentions TOZIBABE and I can certainly see that in the vocals which have the same sort of lilting cadence while being out of sync with the rest of music. All that while being surrounded by swirling reverby soaked thrashing guitars. It’s a truly great LP
It’s been a minute since we had something from these Chicago skins. It’s got that classic Chi-town melodic yet hard as nails approach birthed by THE EFFIGIES. Just powerful tracks one after the other of anthemic, boot stomping punk. Totally killer.
My first reaction was like - what if Doc Dart from the CRUCIFUCKS sang for the NEOS or KORO. Upon listen six, I am back to that assessment - its rampaging, almost off the rails, thrashing hardcore punk with this sorta snotty, slightly off vocal approach that I just love. I want more of this please.
Rocking garage punk with a slight New Wave through a heavy rock filter - sorta feels like the BRIEFS covering MOTÖRHEAD while opening up for JAY REATARD before going out drinking with NASHVILLE PUSSY.
Super amped on this - tough as nails skinhead rocknroll from Pittsburgh. It’s a bit ROSE TATTOO meets TEMPLARS. Rock’n riffs, jangling guitars, and burly as shit vocals with top notch song writing a melody making. It’s cool to see stuff like this coming back but a decidedly left wing/working class lyrical focus rather than… well you know… All killer, no filler. See you fucks at the bar!
Four tracks of infectiously catchy French street punk. Big singalong choruses, catchy riffs - you know the drill. It’s almost has this joyous, wild and crazy, champagne spraying (it is French after all), ‘our team just won the league’ feel to it.
This just fucking rules - nine ripping blasts of Iron City hardcore punk. Pissed as fuck lyrical approach backed up by a rampaging musical approach perfectly matching the urgency of the vocals. Taught and powerful stuff.
Punchy two piece garage punk from Australia. Like their down under contemporaries CIVIC or AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS its a roller coaster ride of slightly despondent high octane rock.
Crossover thrash that leans more metal than hardcore punk - searing leads, snarling vocals, chugging guitars and plenty of speed. Think Best Wishes era CRO MAGS, CRUMBSUCKERS or Technocracy-era COC.
SILENCE - Burial Preparations CS
Total FINAL CONFLICT Ashes To Ashes vibes just permeating from this for me - I mean its not a direct rip but more in how they take later era ANTI CIMEX flirtations with metal riffing and strip it down a bit to create this bulldozer attack of anarcho-punk. Hits like a sledgehammer to the skull.
Dreamy, jangly pop that just feels cozy - I mean look at the band name! And how delightful is the record title! Sure, it’s cut from the same cloth as BELLE & SEBASTIAN’s finer moments and brings to mind the summery joy of blasting TIGER TRAP but there is this snarky, dissatisfied undercurrent to the lyrics which make it really compelling.
This rules - totally ferocious hardcore marrying a lot of the brutal elements INFEST or LACK OF INTEREST with mosh pit inducing breakdowns of late 80s NYHC. Twelve tracks of face melting, hammer-punch-face hardcore. Totally sick.
Buzzsaw hardcore punk attack from Bogota - GBH meets EXPLOITED soaked in distortion and snarly vocals. It’s a live recording from their show in Zarautz, Spain so it’s a little messy sounding but pacts plenty of energy.
Ham slapping, metallic MOTÖRCHARGE hardcore from the western portion of Canada. Lot’s of INEPSY style grooves with occasional forays into POISON IDEA style riffing but predominantly staying in that MOTÖRHEAD meets DISCHARGE pocket.
I’m so damn excited for this LP - TOZCOS remain one of my favorite bands going. Just packed with pogo-rific energy, they write compelling, catchy, impactful punk songs drawing from a well of influences that range from the angsty punk of ESKORBUTO to the garage inflected hooks of old LA bands like THE BRAT, X and THE EYES. The songs just ebb and flow in this powerful groove. Just unreal how good this is.
Angular, artsy weirdo rock with a big no-wave flare and equal nods to the PIXIES (whom they cover), HEAVENS TO BETSY’s punk anti-pop feel and a twinge of MINUTEMEN weirdness. It took me a couple listens but it is a really interesting, compelling listen and certainly worth your time.
ZERO FUNCTION - Spiritual Capitulation LP
This band is from from Wyoming. Just think of that - Wyoming. It's like Montana but different. Anyway - I enjoy this, particularly the vocals. There's a bit about this that makes me think David Yow in the approach - a bit spent and desperate. The guitar work is cool - noisey, aggro. dissonant, a smidge mechanical but more punk and not like AmpRep style.
