No Hay Futuro

The posts this week(end) are the result of me finally locating my box of recently purchased demos and other cassettes, some of which I've been wanting to post, some I haven't really had a chance to absorb yet.  The Criaturas demo falls more into the former category, as the band's 7" and LP have been giving my turn table quite the workout of late.  While the band shares members and a visual style with Deskonocidos (another recent obsession), they don't come across as dark as their cousin band.  Criaturas perhaps share something in common with another Austin band, Sacred Shock, in that they draw from an array of impressive punk/hardcore influences, but what results is something better than merely the sum of these.  The standout quality on this outing is the sense of Cold War-era paranoia, conjured by the frantic pace of the drumming and fits of noise from the guitars, and given staying power by the way Dru sustains her shrill wails and cries.  Some exciting things have been happening in Austin, and although a lot of those "things" share members, I hope other musicians will be inspired and take up arms.

Criaturas demo

You can get wav files of the tracks here.

The band's 7" can still be found here.

The LP is available in many places, but was released by Trabuc Records, Spain.

Minimum Wage Slave Tirade

I've got another handful of random requests to fill, starting with Default's "Die With Honor" one sided 7" (sorry, I don't yet have the other EP requested). There was a time when Default 7"s were being sold for a dollar, and in one instance, I received one free with an order. What a travesty. Maybe it was because they were from Wisconsin and didn't release an LP (I don't think), but they never received their due respect. The "Complacency" comp was my first exposure, and those 44 seconds of gonzo crustcore made them standouts even among the honorable company they were in. "Die With Honor" thankfully continues along these lines, burning with such intense fervor that the tracks disintegrate shortly after starting. The impression is lasting, though, due in part to some flourishes in the songwriting, but mostly due to the tornado-like ass-kicking they deliver.

I got a request a while back for the first Scorned 7", and why not? Scorned is one surly political hardcore ensemble with a scary guitar sound. Being a pretty raw and rough outing, I would maybe not recommend this EP for the uninitiated. After listening to either their LP, split 7", or more recent 7", the first one can be a lot of fun, if fun includes the hardcore equivalent of a jackhammer and a chainsaw trying to drown out the shouts of an angry neighbor. Scorned is another in probably a long line of mid western bands that deserve way more attention, so give 'em a shot.

I was going to post the "Double Crossed" 7" by feisty Texans, Manchurian Candidates, but then I remembered that Mike included it in his post of the LP. For now, we'll just have to settle for some comp tracks until I track down their other 7" and split 7" (which I thought I still had...). Two tracks were re-ripped from the "El Guapo" comp ("Blind Lives" is still my favorite) and the other comes from "Reality Part 4" (a much more metal manifestation of the band).

Default, Scorned, Manchurian Candidates

Black Becomes The Sunday

I just got this one recently, but had to share. Is it possible that World Burns To Death is getting even better? They've raged and pillaged through three incredible 12"s and a small archipelago of 7"s, and yet they continue to blow minds! This little two-banger has the great tracks, "The War Can Go On Forever" and "Black Becomes The Sun" and I believe it was released for the band's tour of Japan with Blowback. A thousand were pressed on H:G Fact Records, and if there are copies out there, they won't last long. I'm sure the tracks will appear on future releases, but unless the actual EPs are re-pressed, I'll keep these rips up. Being such a short record, I'll go ahead and include...



...the WBTD/Blowback split. And, what's this? Melody? Yes, World Burns To Death weaves in some tasteful melody in their track "Here A Dream Dies Everyday," making it both a surprise and one hell of a killer! If you grabbed their friend Blowback's LP last year (or was it this year?), you know that they are a Far-East force of unfuckwithableness! They've got the insane vocals and tightness bands from their native land are known for, and then some. A fantastic and exhausting little split.


Get both 7"s HERE

Big Fat Bag O' Splits!

Splits are always a great way to learn about new and obscure bands, but how about a grab-bag full of them? That's what we're dealing in today- a series of split 7"s I've run across recently and wanted to share. You probably haven't heard most of these bands, so unlike a real grab-bag, I offer some descriptions to either dissuade or entice:

The first split in the bag is from a couple of awesome Polish bands. You may recall Stupor from their split with Harum Scarum posted somewhere below. They play more of that thick and intense crust, like a more raw and heavy Post Regiment, while their partners, Verrecke play one long Amebix-meets-Counterblast dirge. It's as good as it sounds.

The name Spider Cunts kept coming up in blurbs about the lineage of Burning Kitchen (one of my favorite punk bands), so it was high time to check them out. What they deliver on this split is four obnoxious songs, mainly about getting wasted. The slamming drums, simple and catchy riffs, harsh vocals... I'm thinking a more obnoxious and punk Sin 34? Sure. Obnoxious is definitely the word here.

Oh, and The Dregs rage hard too. I don't know why I thought I'd dislike them; I actually ended up a fan. Nicely distorted guitars and screamed and wailed vocals that don't get monotonous like some bands' do. The hardcore attack and street punk sensibilities are reminiscent of Filth, but I wouldn't get too carried away with that comparison.

Finally we get to the international pairing of Yokel and Pisspoor. I hadn't heard of Australia's Yokel, and was impressed by their four well-played and vicious crust blasters. The vocals (especially the female member's) are scathing as hell. Granted, nothing originally is going on here, but it won't matter as you scream along, railing against genocide and greed!

Austin's Pisspoor offered some pretty good tracks on the "El Guapo" comp and their split LP, but there's something about these tracks that show a hitting of a stride. A band like this can only be successful if their anger comes across genuine and abundant, and really, that's exactly what this is-- unadulterated rage that's both punishing and cathartic.

Download a sack o' splits

Song Of The Week: "Fun Fun Fun" (The Big Boys)

I'm off to the beach...

"Fun Fun Fun"

A World Badly Made

Amen makes its third appearance on this blog, this time covering Oi Polloi, and taking on subjects like nuclear fallout and raccoon-faced satanist posers. Their American tag-team partners are Short Hate Temper. You probably know these El Paso grinders from various power house splits with the likes of Slight Slappers, Scalplock, Quill, and Harsh. A fast EP for a week that cannot be over fast enough.

Here.

Bombing The Pulpit

I'm gonna make this quick and terse, like the music. Repercussions is a hardcore band. All the things that never get old about hardcore can be found in the grooves of twelvers like this one. Members may hold kinship with Signal Lost, Deathreat and Cold World, but what should matter is that it cranks rough and gritty all on its own. I'll go ahead file this under raging-bullcrap-free-listening-experiences.

Here

The Unholy Fist Of Justice

There are two reasons I chose the Unholy Grave/PLF 7" for this third split installment: Pretty Little Flower and the record's packaging. It comes in a nice three color glossy gatefold, and it's pressed on thick wax. Sorry, but I get kind of nerdy about these things. So most of you know what awaits you on the Unholy Grave front: alright grindcore played at mid-pace (by grindcore specs). You get one song about landmines, and FOUR about terrorism. Yeah...

If you've been following the fruits of the Gulf Coast Grind offensive (Insect Warfare), then you're already excited about Pretty Little Flower! These Houstonians (or is it Houstonites?) play chunky grindcore that nods generously to your favorite grindcore bands (with grindcore, that can be said about any band, but whatever...). Fast brutality played by talented musicians with an overtly anti-macho band name... there aren't many better things in life. Well there are, but most can lead to permanent psychosis or brain damage. Play it safe...

The UG/PLF Split (on Rescued From Life Records)

Pisspoor & Ungrateful

If you checked out the "El Guapo" comp a while back, you know that Pisspoor were one of the more cacophonous thrashcore bands that you missed the first time around. Featured today is another tidbit from the Sound Pollution Records back catalog: their split LP with Ungrateful. Pisspoor's often uneventful riffs are made up for by the relentless drumming and bloody-murder vocals (see Ojorojo for a quick analogy). It's not about brilliant songwriting; it's about the rage, and these guys/gals have plenty of that. As do Kentucky's Ungrateful, who opt for the more old-school hardcore approach, but throw in scathing vocals and an occasional blast-beat part to keep the kiddies happy. I wish the guitar wasn't buried so deeply in the mix, but what can you do... this is DIY?!

D/L

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!

The Short Hate Temper/Harsh/Quill Split 10"

Three pissed-off bands from three continents... global harmony through ultra-violent music! This 3-way (he he) split (TVG Records, 2000?) is a real gem as each band plays its own brand of powerviolence expertly! Short Hate Temper start the show off with their amazingly catchy fastcore- first with a long track (two and half minutes), followed by seven short ragers. Great stuff that rivals their material on the Slight Slappers split. Following SHT, we have a recent Fugitive E. favorite, Harsh. These Finns win me over again, this time with eight bass-obsessed originals and a Nihilistics cover. The recording's a little muffled, but these are the best Harsh tracks posted here yet! The entire second side of this 10" is dedicated to the controlled madness of Japan's Quill. These punks opt for a less dark sound, and crank the punk-rock knob to eleven. On the average, each track is a mere 30 seconds of spazzed-out power chords- 14 originals, 2 audience sound samples (from a kick boxing match?) and an Infest cover. Although I'm pretty sure this record is out of print (the label says it has 10 left, but I think it has been saying that for a while), you can still find it around in various places (these bands are great, but let's face it, they aren't in demand). 1800 copies were pressed on pink wax...

Enjoy

Hatred Surge 7"

When a band names itself after a Napalm Death demo, you know you're in for a treat, and a little tinnitus. Hatred Surge is Alex Hughes, formerly of Insect Warfare. The nine tracks of pure aural hatred found on their/his vinyl debut EP (2005) are met with much pleasure by this reviewer. The songs are, of course, ridiculously fast (for the most part), and range from 30 seconds to two minutes in length. Precision is certainly not lacking, however there is enough of a chaotic feel to the recording to capture the genuine sense of rage which is mandatory for a powerviolence/grindcore record. Behind each rager is the expected laconic, misanthropic rant calling for the violent dispatching of our "elected" leaders, technocrats, Christians, and all other embarrassments to our species. All the best aspects Infest, Despise You, Iron Lung, and Crossed Out blend into the unholy miasma that is Hatred Surge. Long after the heyday of powerviolence, we may now be witnessing the arrival of one of the best bands in the genre, ever!

I can understand why labels are doing smaller pressings nowadays, but some records should NEVER go out of print! 625 Thrashcore Records has seen this EP fit for obsolescence. Until this changes, all the MP3s are available below. Hatred Surge has also released a split EP with Insect Warfare (OOP), and a split LP with The Endless Blockade. There are some exciting projects in the works, (including a split with Iron Lung) so keep your eyes peeled.

MP3s:
Download Zip Here