Out Cold

Out Cold is a band anyone can respect. For about 17+ years now, these Massachusetts old schoolers have ripped assholes anew on album after album. Rather than rehashing early eighties American hardcore, Out Cold blend the more menacing specimens of that era (ie. Negative Approach) with a dose of the futility, desperation, and irony that marks our current one (... and perhaps a bit of Death Side style hardcore spread on top? Maybe it's just my ears....). Don't sample Out Cold songs expecting to hear the latest ultra-brutal-mathy-progressive-crusty-blackened-tech-thrash. In fact, it seems these punks pride themselves on an ethic of complete "bullshitlessness": they have spent their years of live and studio time shunning trends and simply playing the music they love.

Despite a fair amount of touring, and consistently great reviews, Out Cold have only managed to blip a few times on the recognition radar. Arguably, their recent albums are their best material, so now is a great time to track them down while they are not impossible to find. Below are some samples from their last two full lengths. Give 'em a try if you're not already hooked.

from "Goodbye Cruel World" (Mad at the World Records/Acme Records)

"Total Human Monster"

"Body Number 9"

"Hello Disaster"

from "Will Attack if Provoked" (Deranged Records/Acme Records)

"Hidden Agenda"

"Suicide Watch"

Zero Hour Repost!!!

Back in July I posted Zero Hour's tracks from their amazing 7". These tracks were downloaded more than any others that I've posted, so I've made them available again. And, because it appears that their split LP is once again sold out (this time permanently?), I've posted those tracks too. Just go to the original post to experience all the misery and beauty!

Summon the Crows - "Scavengers Feast"

The crusty-ass stenchcore revival has reached Norway! Summon the Crows is Oslo's answer to American bands like Stormcrow and Hellshock, and European bands like Filth of Mankind and Instinct of Survival. On "Scavengers Feast," (Nakkeskudd Plater/Cradle to the Grave Records) you get 13 tracks of bestial crustcore played EXCEPTIONALLY well. These chaps don't rely too heavily on the chuggin' Bolt Thrower worship, but instead mix in subtle melody and a bit of dissonance to keep the listener alert and on edge. What you get is what you should always get from a crust record: something rather modern, but which nods respectfully to Deviated Instinct and Amebix. And, if you dig below the death-obsessed surface of STC's lyrics, you will easily find a distinctly anarchist lean to their ideas, especially with respect to making personal decisions in life. This album is solid as hell, and absolutely rises above much of the overwhelmingly abundant and often mediocre output of the DIY world. See what you think:

MP3's:

"Salvation?"
"Life is Shit"

Buy It:
Profane Existence

Zygote - "89-91"

Some reviewers have commented that Zygote didn't "do it for them." I believe these people were probably hoping for the second coming of The Amebix. Zygote was indeed 3/4 of Amebix and, although very different, their sound was a fairly predictable evolutionary step for these visionary musicians (Of course, they could have gone an even more metal route than Amebix, but I'm glad they didn't). A former member of The Smartpils joined Stig, Spider, and Smutpig in the late '80s to form this short lived project that left behind only one proper release: the "A Wind of Knives" LP/Cd (Epistrophy Records). Skuld Releases, during one of its most productive periods, decided to release the "89-91" LP to honor the band a few years after their break-up. This long-player featured Zygote's demo and five live tracks. Obviously, the sound quality is going to be inferior, but it doesn't seem to hinder the enjoyability of these tracks. What makes the demo side exciting is the fact that a couple of the songs were not released on "A Wind of Knives," and are by no means throwaways. For those who have never experienced Zygote, expect dark, psychedelic/psychotic guitar melodies, hypnotic guitar rhythms, and hoarse, semi-melodic vocals. Comparisons have been made to early Killing Joke, which is fair to a certain extent. Otherwise, I'm at a loss for any accurate comparisons (maybe The Smartpils...). The lyrics deal with all manners of mental derangement and existential loneliness, and are alternately bizarre, beautiful, haunting, and, at times, disturbing (see "Scarred"). So, Zygote does "do it for me." There is a certain "coldness" to their sound, and they aren't the ultra-crust gods some expected, but their small legacy is still excellent and one of a kind.

Skuld only pressed about 2000 of these, but you can still find a copy here and there. For now, enjoy the electronic version:

MP3's
Reposted Here