Jesus Hates Out Cold

I've already sung my praises for the integrity of Massachutsetts hardcore mainstays, Out Cold, so I'll make this brief. In their 20 years, these guys have been consistent as heck in releasing record after badass record of old school, Negative Approach/Negative FX-influenced hardcore with very little recognition (considering the quality and quantity). Every time I let myself "absorb" one of their releases, it becomes my favorite; this time it's "Warped Sense Of Right And Wrong" (Kangaroo Records, 1997. I think it's out of print, but you may find a straggler here). It has great riffs, tight playing, varied and angry vocal ejaculations, and even decent production. The only thing not awesome about this record is the cover design (but maybe you already noticed that). As a bonus, we get to hear vocalist, Sheehan, yell "retard" repeatedly in his "Masshole" accent! I'm not usually one to pass judgment on people, but if you can't respect Out Cold, you may very well be a poser.



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Groincore

So this is what I've been listening to in past weeks when I'm feeling pissed. It isn't happy music that provides the therapy; it's the violent, hateful stuff. This prescription combines two kilograms of brutal intercontinental grindcore from Groinchurn and Wojczech (South Africa and Germany respectively). Granted, one of Groinchurn's offerings is a "joke" track, but you wouldn't know it from the music. Both bands display a youthful crudity on these early outings, so if you like your grind raw but still well played, you know the drill...

Get it.

You're Damned Either Way

Burning Kitchen was a catchy, energetic punk band with previous and current connections to The Spidercunts and Imperial Leather. I imagine them as a modern Avengers, but more obnoxious and more... Swedish. The "Damn If You Do Damn If You Don't" 10" was recorded in '99 and released by Alerta Antifascista and Funai Records. This little inferno showcases ten instant classics and ablsolutely nothing resembling a throw-away . It's now OOP, but check your favorite distros, and you may find a copy, drunkenly overstaying its welcome...

D/L

"NOT the pussy-ass pop-punk band..."

This blog is becoming GOB-central, but you're just gonna have to deal with it. There are several GOBular treats on this blog, just click here to see them all. This time we have an early split 7" they released on Bovine Records with obscure Swiss noise punk band, Designer. GOB's tracks are slightly different in the vocals department, but otherwise it's still the dreary, down-tuned, pulsating, heretical noise-sludge I've come to need in my life. The copy from whence these tracks were ripped was a little mistreated in its life, but these bands are noisy enough to the point that it doesn't matter. Neither band thought it necessary to supply song titles, but there's five of 'em-- two by GOB, three by Designer.

Enjoy

Last Call For Saké

Thanks to a kind, anonymous commenter (you rock!), I was finally let in on the last piece (?) to the Saké puzzle: "Unnatural Disasters" a.k.a. the Saké/Submission Hold split LP. Saké was a talented and awesome band, so if you're unfamiliar, click here for all Saké posts on this site...

These final five Saké tracks display the band at its most mature and contemplative (although I'm still a bit partial to their 10"). Expect the usual hard rockin' riffs, dual male/female screaming, violin melodies, and personal/political lyrics. The songwriting this time, however, is less "in your face," and tends to stay with slower, moodier themes longer, which contributes a more atmospheric dimension to their sound. To add further to this, Saké's track list is punctuated with a nice instrumental acoustic piece ("Myesis")-- a lovely swan song for a sadly under-appreciated band.

Now, Submission Hold is a band that I've been putting off exploring for some time. One thing can be said about them: within the hardcore pantheon, they are certainly one of the most innovative bands. SH combine the cacophonous, jarring chaos of the Ebullition sound, with the further unpredictability of avant-jazz and indie/progressive rock/post-hardcore. Within each track, you're sure to experience the confrontational quality of Spitboy, as well as the quiet-before-the-storm aspect of Indian Summer or Maximilian Colby (with the occasional flute trilling to accent the whole experience). While not the easiest music experience to "get into," it is admirable for its originality and its intermittent brilliance. You can view the band's discography here if you're interested in ordering their available releases.

D/L "Unnatural Disasters" HERE

Living In (pause) Suburban Wasteland...

When I first heard the "Flex Your Head" Comp, I was instantly on a mission to find more Void and Artificial Peace stuff. At the time, the Void/Faith split was an easy find. Artificial Peace was a different situation. I was lucky enough to stumble a few years later upon this disc put out by Lost & Found "Records." As you can easily see, it collects every studio recording by Artificial Peace, as well as the entire "Double Image" LP by Marginal Man (the (punk) rock band members would form later). So the math works out like this: 11 tracks by Marginal Man; 37 (!) tracks by Artificial Peace; 48 tracks total; 100 MBs. AP really didn't write much material, so many of the tracks are repeats. It's still great to hear them all, as Artificial Peace are one of my favorite early DC hardcore bands, and Marginal Man is pretty catchy too. Incidentally, if you like Marginal Man, they have just reissued a newly remastered version of "Double Image" with a huge booklet and live videos. They are selling it for super cheap right now, so go here for more info.

Check It Out

"Red! Red! I'm Seein' Red!"

This post concerns two split 10 inchers involving veteran post-Lärm Dutch thrashers and socialist propaganda machine, Seein' Red. It would seem that these gents have been putting out the same record for years, but in no way is that bad. It's completely inspirational to see and hear a band that can stick to their principles and maintain their aggression consistently for so long. Not to mention, after hearing a few Seein' Red songs, I'm so amped I wanna pick up some red flags and start a general strike! Seriously, I totally respect this band's convictions, and split 10's are the best way to enjoy their noise-- if you're missing either of these records, download away!. First up is their split with Catweazle. On this one Seein' Red offer eleven whopping tracks of the fast as hell, feedback infused hardcore you can't help but love. There's a bit more variation than usual on these tracks, making this possibly my favorite Seein' Red release. Their fellow countrymen, Catweazle offer a different kind of punk: metallic, cleanly played, mid-paced hardcore. Lots of energy and talent from all the musicians in this band, some of whom played in an array of other Dutch bands, including Fleas and Lice.


Download HERE (256 Kbps)

Up next is the Seein' Red's split with yet another very different Dutch band, Shikari. Seein' Red offer eight originals and a cover of "Myth Of Freedom" by Manliftingbanner (the "other" post-Lärm band). The band's reliability comes through again- all the tracks are fast, angry, and noisy! So throw on your Ché beret, start a pit, then start a revolution!

Shikari are fairly "popular" in various hardcore circles, but in case you're not familiar, they played a heavy version of the screamy hardcore that broke out in the nineties. Stylistic similarities point to such bands as (Union of) Uranus, One Eyed God Prophecy, and perhaps mid-period Envy (Japan). Tons of emotional despondency on these four tracks, which are also available on the band's discography CD.

Get it HERE (256 Kbps)

Get a real copy HERE

Fortress North America

This post is my own farewell to a great modern punk band, Ballast. It seems that after two great EPs and two excellent LPs, the band members have moved on (some to a new band called Preying Hands). Ballast has been compared to many other bands, but in my opinion, the two most accurate would be Lost World and Bread and Water. This band had it all: angst, energy, melody, emotion, sincerity... They are already missed, and will be for a long while (at least by this blogger...).

As for the free music, today you get Ballast's two 7 inches. The first, "Numb Again" was self-released and consists of four demo tracks (I believe). The second was released on (and may or may not be available still from) Stonehenge Records, and consists of four tracks recorded the same year as the first. Both records are great, but Ballast's full-lengths are where it's at. Check with Profane Existence, Trujaca Fala, or Inimical Records to get a copy of "Sound Asleep" and "Fuse" (both are awesome!).

Get both EPs HERE

"Urge For Going" (To The Beach)

The weather right now is too nice to remain sequestered in my cave-like room blogging, so I'll make this short. DPPS is a crazed Japanese band that plays fast hardcore/grind. You may remember them from their split with Nailed Down. On this "Urge for Going" 7" (NAT Records, 1997) they aren't as fast, but they are much noisier (the production is fairly terrible...). One thing's for sure, some of the most vicious dual vocal assaults can be found on this little six-banger. For fans of Dropdead, Disclose, etc...

(PS: Whether the song title "Illtelligence" is a mistake or not, it's brilliant!)

Get some "Mental Pollusion" (sic) HERE

Ugly Packaging For Ugly Music

Deer Healer Records may decide to repress this recent Hatred Surge 7" if "demand is high enough." It sold out by the first day of release. I think that indicates a pretty hefty demand...

Until its reissue, I'll be glad to supply you with some homemade rips. Hatred Surge, as many know, is one the the most genuinely brutal grind/fastcore bands around. When I found out about this two song EP ("Servant" b/w "Bestial"), I expected one of the shortest records of all time (seeing as how most HS tracks last 30 seconds on average). Instead, the band uses this opportunity to expand their sound with two slow, deliberate, and heavy tracks that experiment with off-kilter time signatures and noise (combined with the usual heavy distortion/volume). This isn't the usual rectal splitting grind we are used to, but after a few listens I found it to be equally awesome!

This time around, Hatred Surge consists of Alex (vocals, and everything else) and Faiza (vocals) (same as their last couple of releases). On "Servant," Breathing Problem provides some noise embellishments. The packaging, as you can see, is not so much ugly, as it is minimal as hell (which is okay by me... lyrics are provided at least).

Link has been removed- Dear Healer Records has made this 7" available again!

Strictly For The Completists...

Have you ever listened to "Rock For Light" and wondered what it would sound like if the mixing was... different? Good, same here. Lucky for me, and the two of you out there who hear me, I stumbled across this 12" consisting of four tracks that would end up on "Rock For Light," but, as insinuated above, are mixed differently (better in my opinion). The main aspect that excites me is the fact that the bass can actually be heard in the hardcore songs (and on the one reggae song, "I & I Survive," the bass is almost overbearingly upfront, but that's okay with me)! But I think the overall improvement lies in the reduction in the saturation of treble that seemed like an annoyingly shiny layer of cellophane over the album recordings (the guitar tone on these versions is meaner, and HR doesn't sound like he'd been huffing helium along with his spliff (at least not as much)). Anyway, much like my experience with the "Omega Sessions," it's incredibly refreshing to hear these songs in a new/old light.

Although this post is more for the obsessive Bad Brains fans, I bet this would make a great introduction for any newcomer to the hardcore situation. If you haven't checked out Bad Brains' material from the early eighties, I can't urge you enough to do so. As mentioned in the last Bad Brains post, it is no longer worth discussing the fundamentalism and bigotry of (a) certain band member(s). So, on that note, this post is dedicated to all the queers and heathens!

Tracks:
1. "Coptic Times"
2. " Destroy Babylon"
3. "Joshua's Song"
4. "I & I Survive"

Hear it HERE

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For Those Bitter About Life In General

Judging from the download stats, the visitors who happen upon this site like their music with plenty of speed. I haven't neglected to notice this, and to prove it, here's a fast one for you. This LP, "Trapped Inside" is, I believe, the first full length by LA "powerviolence" heroes, Lack of Interest (Slap-A-Ham Recs, not sure about the date, but it's SAH 52). This record sees the band at its most raw, pummeling you with 24 tracks (only four of which break the one minute mark, and even then only barely) of unbridled spite delivered with surgical precision. The terse vocals are most definitely influenced by fellow Burbankers, Infest. The Denunzio intonation is hard not to notice, but on these recordings I also detect some of that guttural barking of Paul Bearer (Sheer Terror). Either way, this outing is fierce as hell, and there's even a few LOI classics that (would) appear(ed) elsewhere in different form, such as "What's Up" and "My Life." LOI's album "Take Another Step" is easy to find in some distros and ebay stores, but you can find their split EP with Stapled Shut and various comp. tracks here, their split with Spazz here, and their unreleased LP with a different singer here.


Download "Trapped Inside" HERE


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Baba Yaga, Squawk, Zap, Rum-ti-Tum...

No, the above image is not of E.T. undergoing a gynecological exam. It is, however, an icon used often in the cover and label art of UK band, Witchknot (I'm not an anthropologist, so if you have any info about this icon...). So what about the music? Well, since you've forced me to describe it: pagan-feminist-dada-post-punk. Maybe not. Witchknot is not easy to label, and to do so may not be very fair to begin with. So what's the bottom line regarding the listening experience? It's fuckin' brilliant! The driving force of the band's music starts with the bass and drums, which almost always combine to create amazingly infectious rhythms (and there's plenty of cowbell for you CB fans out there!). The melodies are provided by the violin and cello parts, which are simple but incredibly effective, and by, of course, the powerful vocals which alternate between beautiful singing, impassioned yelling and grunting, haunting harmonies, and quirky chants and incantations. The guitar may not be the driving force, but the cacophonous chords and wildly picked rhythms add a definite signature to an already unique sound. Some of you may want to accuse the band of trying too hard to be "artsy" or different, but even YOU might find, after listening, that all these parts combine and move seamlessly and organically. As off-kilter as Witchknot's sound appears at first, there's universal pop appeal that will surely enchant you and hold you spellbound if you let your guard down long enough.

What's also curious about most of Witchknot's releases, is that they were put out by Flat Earth Records (RIP), the hardcore label responsible for putting out records by Sedition, Ebola, etc. The download link below contains the "Squawk" LP, the "Suck" EP (both on Flat Earth), and some comp. tracks I found on a certain P2P site. Witchknot will not be for everybody, but if you're musically malleable enough to enjoy Guts Pie Earshot, Red Monkey, Spitboy, and/or The Horny Mormons, this band may change your life...





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Also, check out three of the members' new band, Baba Yaga.

Crow

The longevity and integrity of Japanese bands is truly to be marveled at. Bands of the past are rising again, left and right, often just as good or better than their previous incarnations. Crow is one of the best examples, and I think we can agree that anything they put their name on is worth having or at least downloading. The offering for today is a tour 7" put out by Prank in 2005. I believe only 500 of these were released. The material can be either looked upon as two tracks using very similar themes (musically and lyrically), or perhaps one continuous track in two parts. Side A starts the repetitive hypnotic riffing at an upbeat (punk) tempo, overlaid with unstructured lead guitar meanderings and repetitive, echoed vocals (by the way, I friggin' love the new Crow vocals!). Side AA (B) continues this format, but at a more frantic, paranoid, galloping pace. Although not the most dynamic songwriting, this disc is an interesting exercise, and worth a listen. (Note: Not surprisingly, members of Crow are in a weird Psyche band called Death Comes Along).

Destroy the Miserable Dominant HERE

Budget Nihilism

What we have here is a 3" CD collecting the two seven inches by pre-Nine Shocks Terror outfit, H100s. The EPs compiled were originally available through Burrito Records and Havoc Records respectively, but not anymore. The CD version posted here was released by short-lived PE offshoot, Profane Existence Far East (and it appears that PE "Near West" is ceasing operations as a label as well). If you've been heretofore deprived of the H100s experience, you're in for a nine track shock treatment of nutty Japanese influenced thrash/punk with over the top vocals and "fuck the world" lyrics. Two of the tracks are covers of Systematic Death and Gag Reflex songs (!) so you know this little disc rocks!

Get a "knife in your fucking ass!" here

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Javier is The Man! & Logical Nonsense Rules!

We have The Man, Javier O., to thank for both Logical Nonsense related records posted here. Javier was good enough to upload some rips of the rare "Deadtime" LP a while back. Then after informing me about LN's split with 23 More Minutes, he uploaded those tracks too! I usually like to post records I actually own, but these two are so remarkable and rare, I've got to do a post anyway (actually, I just found a test press of the 23 More Minutes split for dirt cheap on a certain auction site...). I'm sure Javier is cool with it, since as he mentioned before, the more people who hear this stuff, the better!

First up is Logical Nonsense's "Deadtime" LP, of which only 835 copies were ever pressed (in 1993, Very Small Records). On this debut full length, LN begins to work out their dark, vicious hardore that would evolve some on their split with Grimple, and further on their two Alternative Tentacles albums. Much of the material on this one is in line with the sound on the Grimple split, but with melodically sung (!) vocals off and on. I've grown to really love this slab....

Going further back, the 23 More Minutes/Logical Nonsense split was released in a single pressing of 1136 (in 1991, Very Small Records). Prior to hearing these rips, I only knew 23 More Min. from their ode to debonaire, humanitarian game show host, Bob Barker, on the "Vinyl Retentive" Comp. On the split here, they offer seven tracks of their quirky punk/hard rock. If you like Samiam, Rites of Spring, etc, you may (or may not) like these guys. Now, as far as Logical Nonsense's tracks go, the band is surprisingly "upbeat" and melodic. Maybe it's just surprising to me because I have been listening to all their other material for so long. The twelve LN songs are good, but I mainly love them for their historical value, as sort of embryonic artifacts of the Logical Nonsense discography.

D/L Logical Nonsense's "Deadtime" LP Here

D/L The 23 More Minutes/Logical Nonsense Split LP

Here

Scrotum Grinder

Half the population will cringe at Scrotum Grinder's name, but once you're over that, I think you'll find the experience rather pleasing. SG is yet another southern band that plays to the colder, darker side of the human experience, conjuring the atmosphere of Karst and Damad, but approaching it by way of the aggressive, discordant route of Initial State, Chronicle A/D, Anti-Product, etc. The tempos on this debut 7" (Burrito Records, 1997) are unpredictable, which I love, and the vocals are some more of that harsh female fire like that of the above bands, or Ojorojo. This is a quick little record, but it packs some serious heat! Some trivia: The bass player, Steve Kosiba was in In/Humanity and played bass in Assück for about five years. Scrotum Grinder also released a split 7" with Combatwoundedveteran and an LP/CD on Prank Records (the latter of which is fairly easy to find).

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Get SG's "Geld" EP here