Quinientos Años

I've been putting this off for too long. This is a repost of the "In the Spirit of Total Resistance" 2X7"-- one of my all time favorite comps. Seven bands assembled to attack Man's inhumanity and celebrate the 500 years of resistance enacted by indigenous peoples of the west, from Canada to Puerto Rico. The brutality is amply provided by Crudos, Huasipungo, Man is the Bastard and One by One, while Jonestown, Pollution Circus, and Dogfight inject a balancing dosage of eclecticism. In true repost fashion, the tracks have been re-ripped at 320, and photos of the entire layout and 60 page book have been made available.

The Comp

The Book

Song of the Week: "Homo Afflictus" (Charred Remains a.k.a. Man Is The Bastard)

Still vying for my favorite Man Is The Bastard track is "Homo Afflictus," for the usual intensity these musicians always brought to their music, as well as for its unpredictability of structure and overall weirdness! I've said it before and will continue to do so: MITB's recorded material pales in comparison to their live sets. When these guys plugged in, the brutality was real, not just an aspect of the genre they played. If you were fortunate enough to see them a couple of times, just close your eyes and crank up the volume; maybe some nifty flashback experience will visit your consciousness. For others, the advice concerning volume is still recommended.

"Homo Afflictus"

I've been putting off a re-post of the excellent comp from which this song was ripped. I'll continue to place it high on my list of priorities.

More 7" Comps That Don't Suck Vol.6: "In The Spirit of Total Resistance"

All right, this one's a double 7", but why split hairs!? "In the Spirit of Total Resistance: A Benefit for the Mohawk Nation of Kanesatake" (Profane Existence, 1992) is one of my all time favorites. This masterpiece has everything a good comp needs: variety, a combination of known and unknown bands, an honorable purpose, incredible information/packaging (64 page book!), and of course, some ass-kicking music. All the bands featured have their own unique sound (except perhaps Crudos and Huasipungo... but who's complaining?!), so if you've never heard this one, you're in for a fun musical adventure. To this day, I still think MITB's track, "Homo Afflictus," is my favorite song of theirs, and Crudos' "Quinientos Años" might be my favorite of their early tracks as well. Crudos' work is easy to find, but it's still nice to hear this song within the context of this comp's theme (500 years of indigenous resistance, etc.) I wish I had the time to scan the entire book(let)... maybe one day soon.

Track List:

1. Jonestown - "The Gnawing Flood of the Wasichu"

2. Los Crudos - "Quinientos Años"

3. Huasipungo - "Estúpida Ambición"

4. Charred Remains a.k.a. Man is the Bastard - "Homo Afflictus"

5. Pollution Circus - "The Angry Brigade"

6. One By One - "Self Determination for the Fucked Over of the World (Common Ground)"

7. Dogfight - "Texas Two Step"

Download It

More 7" Comps That Don't Suck Vol. I: Reality

Arrgh. 7" Compilations. They're over in a flash, and before you let them sink in, you get too lazy to throw them back on the turntable. Doing this blog has really forced me out of my aversion for this comp. format, and allowed me to dig up and appreciate some of the better ones. I'll be posting more "volumes" of these comps here and there for the next couple of weeks...

Volume I is the "Reality" comp. released around 1994 on Deep Six Records. This would be the first in a series of numbered "Reality" comps that would appear in full length editions for years to come. Number One here is no sloucher, and showcases some of the most brutally violent bands the LA area had to offer at the time (the only exception is the Bay Area's Spazz). It's hard to pick highlights, because all the tracks kick muchisimo ass! For a full track list, click on the back cover photo up top. The Man is the Bastard track appears on the already-posted "Anger & English" comp, but this is a rough, live version that has its own distinct character. You can download this ep right....Here!

Anger & English

Hardcore was at a crossroads in 1993... Bands were either going metal, or more in the direction of that sentimental three letter word that will not be written here. Still others merged with the whole crust sub-genre. But what of the bands that seemed to refuse our perverse need to label, and which made their mark with their own singularity? I'm thinking, of course, about acts like Born Against, Rorschach, Econochrist, and the lesser known bands who branded their logos and ethos in the psyches of hardcore's dispossessed and jaded. One vestige of this bygone moment is the "Anger and English" 2x7" compilation released on Framework Records (1994?). This comp. showcased 14 inches of label-defying hardcore from bands ranging from ultra obscure (Factory) to legendary (Man Is The Bastard). Considering that there are only four bands featured, "A&E" does wonders in capturing both the creativity and the transience of its unique moment.

Synopsis:
Side One: Campaign. This was Chris Jensen's band before Halfman. I was an early admirer of Chris's by virtue of his being in 2 great bands and also being a teacher (at the time I was studying for this same profession). Campaign's sound borrowed from east coast hardcore and maybe a little grindcore, but the product is Campaign's very own. The pummeling rhythm section, protean tempos, clean guitars, and raspy punk vocals were a combination that screamed originality, yet the finished product was warm and strangely recognizable. The two tracks here are among Campaign's best.

Side Two: Factory. Beyond their 3 songs on "A&E," I know of zero evidence of Factory's existence. Their sound is burly most of the time, and I enjoy their songs until I start following their lyrics. The words in this case, ruin it.

Side Three: Man Is The Bastard. Band history is redundant. This is the band that somehow was alternately categorized as powerviolence and sludge. Their elusiveness is perfect for this comp. They were legendary, for me, because of their live fury; no recording will ever replace the way I felt during and shortly after their live sets. But these tracks are certainly among their most listenable and enjoyable. The recording isn't as heavy as usual, making the jazzy aspects of their music seem more pronounced. And zero in on Connell's drumming... he is in RARE form!

Side Four: Scapegrace. I would love to see this band get more recognition. Scapegrace is a great example of the myriad bands whose disappearance was as quick and thorough as was their career and the amount of ass they kicked. Having left behind only ep's and comp. tracks, they were doomed to obscurity. Scapegrace's talent and originality are nowhere more evident than on these "A&E" tracks. Some have noted the dissonance in the guitars being similar to later Born Against, and others have compared the vocals to Roger Miret's on "Liberty and Justice for..." Whatever the comparisons, Scapegrace were the only ones doing what they were doing, and they did it really fucking well.

Download "Anger and English"

Buy the last stragglers:
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