Kiss The Goat

Here's a split LP that's done some seat time on my table since about 1995. It's a pretty vicious piece, beginning with Ottawa-- the Tolkien-worshipping grind monster started by members of Current, and future members of Dearborn SS, Nema, and Calvary. Cacophonous is the word here, like a crustier, rawer Brutal Truth. Now, upon listening to side B after some years, I've come to believe Jihad could really have benefited from a better guitar sound. The tracks consist of some rockin' mid-paced metallic hardcore and are pretty crushing once you get used to the flat production. Bands like Enewetak, Gehenna, and Unruh really took this style and fucked it up in a good way. Overall, this is a massive record that merits repeated and torturous listens. I'm not sure how long this link will be up as I just found out that Council Records will finally be reissuing the Ottawa 12" with remastered tracks!

Click it:

The Buttshits Split

It looks like we're embarking on another split week. This time, I'm posting whatever I want, regardless of how many times it's been posted or whether or not the tracks have been compiled on a discography. Yes, a true celebration of a truly punk format. When it comes to punk as fuck splits, it's hard to shake a stick at Filth and Submachine's manifesto of drunkenness and punkness, "This Is Why We Are The Drunks." These bands need no intro and no disclaimer-- listen and let the debauchery begin! Full scans, 320 kbps vinyl rips, bla bla...

The Submachine/Filth split 7"

I Just Want To Sing Your Name

To all the Yanks with the day off today... happy Labor Day! I'm not sure why early September was chosen for this; America has a pretty arbitrary way of scheduling holidays. Anyway, this calls for a SOTW from everyone's favorite "commie" folk hero, Woody Guthrie. "I Just Want To Sing Your Name" comes from the "Ballads Of Sacco And Vanzetti" record, and I think you can figure out what the topic of each song is from that title. I always found this song moving, and with this kind of music, that's all that matters.

"IJWTSYN"

Or

"IJWTSYN" (mediafire)

There's Always Someone Else

I could think of no better quickie-post for a Saturday than a Burning Kitchen 7"! I also can think of few punk bands with as much piss, sincerity and nonstop energy as this amazing Swedish band. The "Damn If You Do..." 10" is my favorite BK release, but "Consolidation" is now a close second. Give yourself plenty of space when you play this one, as insane, spastic dancing will surely ensue. More (all?) Burning Kitchen releases will be posted here as I find them...

Burning Kitchen "Consolidation" 7" (5 tracks, Communichaos Media/Bent Edge Records, 1999, 1000 pressed)

Dawnbreed 7 Inchers

Man, it took me a while to get this shit together. Sorry for the delay, but you know how things can get. Today's four-EP post chronicles the drastic evolution of Germany's Dawnbreed. The early EP and split with Switzerland's Mine see the band trying their hand at the screamy chaos their American counterparts like Frail and Honeywell were dabbling in (the Mine tracks are great; near the goodness of their LP if it weren't for the muddy production). Then I'm throwing in their track from the "Plot" comp because it shreds and it provides a good segue between the early stuff and the awesome, mid-period "Kiosk" LP. Finally we arrive at the more indie-rock Dawnbreed (or Dawnbreed 5?), sauntering right into the open arms of their future band, Monochrome. I still love the "Kiosk" material best, but the later tracks sound more than pleasing to these San Diego ears. The early ragers showcase a very talented young band, but I don't know about all that screaming. It tends to grate on the nerves.



4 Dawnbreed 7"s and a comp track

SOTW: "Withdrawal" (Econochrist)

I don't hear about Econochrist too often these days. I suspect it might be because their music has been widely available-- I guess it takes scarcity to boost a band's popularity sometimes. Regardless, Econochrist are one of the top 10 bands I could never live without. Their discography is just gripping from beginning to end (even their melodic "Arkansas" era stuff has its charm). To avoid rolling dice to choose a favorite, I present the first track I ever heard from the band, in the form I heard it in: "Withdrawal" ripped directly from the "Vinyl Retentive" comp.

"Withdrawal"

"Withdrawal" (mediafire)

Hotter Than Satan's Crotch

The summer temperatures have finally arrived over here. Before you start to one-up me... I know... it's 10 times hotter where you are. It wouldn't be so uncomfortable if it weren't for my pledge to ride the bike to work 3-4 days a week. Nothing like riding uphill, sandwiched between baked asphalt and the 100 degree sun to make you feel alive!

At times like this, I like to think of those less fortunate souls, like the people of Arizona. Then I get to remembering how awesome the metallic hardcore bands were that used to come out of that state. Unruh is a great example. I always reminisce fondly about their later LP, "Setting Fire To Sinking Ships," but I often forget the unbridled devastation of their early "Friendly Fire" 7". Upon first hearing the distorted chords of the title track, I thought for sure this was a lost Wellington recording. But the tempo changes later on verify that this is indeed Unruh, in its primal phase, setting down its blueprint for global annihilation.

"Friendly Fire" 7" (Edema/King Of The Monsters/Abiology Records)

Hell Comes Home

Why did Cursed have to die?! The three excellent full-lengths were satisfying indeed, but imagine three more! Such is life. The 7" of the day may be only two songs long, but they are two rip-roaring examples of what this band was made of. One's a feisty original, and the other's a ball-kicking hardcore version of The Stooges' "Search & Destroy." The latter track was compiled on an old mix tape I did, but I had to put it on here again because no one downloaded that thing anyway, this version is so damned good, and this time it's ripped at a better rate.

"Hell Comes Home" 7" (Hex Records)

Song Of The Week: "Electrifier" (Monochrome)

Staying on the theme of Dawnbreed and labeling, it's finally Monochrome time. I'm almost certain the "indie-pop" tag has prevented many potential fans from checking this post-Dawnbreed band out. "Pop?" With that heavy drum production, stark bass and guitar interplay, and seven minute duration? I think there's a lot more going on here.

"Electrifier" from the awesome "Laser" CD

or

"Electrifier" (mediafire)

Recession Chic

It's time for another example of '90's experimentation that didn't suck. Dawnbreed's "Kiosk" LP was neither too screamy, too metal, nor too pretentious. It followed the golden mean in every way, except for being excessively good! Heavy, artful (as opposed to 'arty'), smart, and aggressive are all decent but inadequate adjectives for a band I refuse to brand with any other label but hardcore. They differed from most bands under that banner, and were so much more besides; but I prefer to leave it at that.

Dawnbreed's "Kiosk" LP (on Common Cause Records and ripped @ 320)

Next week: Dawnbreed 7"s!!!

Gluttons Of Necropolis

Being one of the better and more mould-breaking early Profane Existence bands, I wouldn't be surprised if Moral Suckling has done the blog rounds already. Where to begin with a description... crusty post-punk? No.. there's just no way to encapsulate this band easily. Fans of The Clash, Conflict, The Smartpils or (very) early Deviated Instinct might easily find themselves digging MS's best material, which is the great "Reach" LP. I lost my copy a while back, but I have a test pressing that's in good shape and which I ripped and linked below. Having no inserts to go by, I had to rely on Discogs.com and intuition to tag the tracks. That's not exactly a perfect formula, so let me know if I made any mistakes. I also tracked down Moral Suckling's 7" on Monkey Puzzle Records. This is a nice and raw representation of the band, and although nowhere near the LP in quality, the youthful-yet-smart punk thereon is hard to resist.

Both records HERE

For The Benefit Of The Nation Or Its Destruction

This Song Of The Week was inspired by a cheezy happenstance. It's the second time whereby the i-pod has reminded me of the urgent need to revisit a band. Crucifix was one of the best things the later Cold War produced. Cross the streams of the paranoid aesthetic of Discharge and Crass with the raw music theory of early DC bands and we arrive somewhere near this band's power. "Dehumanization" is pure greatness from start to finish, so I present the first track "Annihilation" to solve the dilemma of choosing only one.

"Annihilation"

"Annihilation" (mediafire)

What To Do With This Yearning...

When a certain former blogger requested Warhead rips a while back, I thought I'd see if I could get affordable copies of the band's out of print EPs before doing a post. Since the next ice age will probably happen sooner than that, I went ahead and busted out the 12" released on Ugly Pop Records recently. It collects the 1993 CD, "What To Do With This Yearning?" and the 1995 7" "The Lost Self And The Beating Heart." Everything addictive about '90's Japanese hardcore impatiently awaits us in these grooves. And then there's the vocals. The word psychotic comes to mind, as does the phrase fucking awesome! On the CD tracks, the vocals are recorded a bit too loud, but once you get used to that, the complaints end there. If you lack rips of this thing, hesitate no longer...

Warhead

When They Sleep

Here's that A Light In The Attic LP I was talking about. All twelve rippers are so much better realized than the ones on the previous post; each one a mesmerizing, frenetic haze of grey chaos. Lots more twisted discord this time around, for maximum ambiance. This isn't for everyone, but I goddamn love it!

A Light In The Attic "When They Sleep" LP (Wild Zero Records) @ 320 kbps

11 Fits Of Communication

What would happen if members of Yaphet Kotto and Suicide Nation got together? Besides an excellent split 7", the answer would also include A Light In The Attic. Silverstein reference aside, LITA was an impressive, ephemeral musical event that fused the respective emotion and metallic brutalism of both bands, the congealed result of which sounded like neither. Now, I'll admit, their tracks on this split LP are not exactly their crowning achievement. I suggest approaching them as preparation for the Takaru tracks, or for the much superior ones that appear on their own LP (shall I post that tomorrow?). The Takaru tracks are indeed fine examples of what this band could do. If you're one who finds some qualities of "screamo" redeeming, but prefer some metal chutzpah (balls) placed heavily in the mix, you'll appreciate Takaru immensely. I want to say they have connections to Burial Year, but I lost track. This is a blog, though, so if you know more about Takaru or this supposedly rare split, you should try commenting. You'll feel good about it afterward. Trust me.

A Light In The Attic/Takaru Split LP (@ 320 kbps)

Mental Lubricant

The Tafkata post sent me on a major Brainoil revival kick. Not that I ever stopped listening to them. Both bands are all about insane and at times intricate sludge riffage, and the Song Of The Week is fraught with some major doozies. I sometimes forget that "Naive In A Bliss" even has vocals. I feel more often that the guitar lines are doing all the screaming in this one, and what they have to say is pure rock poetry. The entire Brainoil 12" is essential listening, but this one gets the horns in the air this week.

"Naive In A Bliss"

"Naive In A Bliss" (Mediafire)

Violent Minds Never Heal

I've only got time for an EP post today, but next week I'm planning upwards of four posts, so hold tight. Now, on with the free music... Since discovering the insane goodness of Never Healed, I had to set aside a small budget to collect everything they've released. Lucky for my wallet, that isn't much (however unlucky it is for my new addiction). Descriptions of their simple but devastating, mid-paced hardcore punk will surely fall short of doing them any justice; listen and become a believer! This split (Armoury Of Fearless Truth Against Whispering Rumor(?)) was my first exposure to Violent Minds. They play solid as heck hardcore with a rock'n roll twang that I love. Their side is ridiculously short, so when you want more, contact Deranged Records to get a more sustained fix.

Never Healed/Violent Minds Split 7" (Vexed Records, 2007).

Never Healed has a so-far Discography CD available, and you can sample their 12" tracks here.

Worker & Parasite

When All Out Ward suggested posting some Tafkata, I was a little hesitant; it seems like I just got my copy. After a bit of snooping, I'm a little less leery. The band's website and myspace page betray a bit of neglect, and the labels involved in releasing the "Worker & Parasite" LP reveal an equally veiled approach at musical proliferation. If any of the above entities have a problem with me posting these rips, just send the word. Meanwhile, Tafkata have been annihilating the rotation here at FE HQs with their thick and gutsy sludge-metal-hardcore. The label bills them as a union of Rorschach and Sabbath, and I think that's pretty fair. Some of the more bouncy tempos allude to a newer sludge master, Brainoil, and in a vague way, the drawn out vocals evoke a bit of Dystopia. Whatever the comparisons you choose, the above cast and the fact that Tafkata has former Enewetak folks in its line-up should help you decide if they might interest you. The bottom line is, if you like your metal fried Southern style and infused with a fair amount of hardcore grit, this album is calling your name.

"Worker & Parasite"

If you live in the UK, some distros might have this piece in stock.

No Hay Banda

No Song was calling my name, topical or otherwise, so I took a look at what I've been playing lately. I can't seem to get this El Banda 7" off my turn table. Not that I'd want to. What you need to know is a) They're from Poland, b) the bass player is from Post Regiment. Yep, that should do it. "Wisi Mi" was released on CD with a different cover and I believe one fewer song. You can pick up the vinyl here if you live in 'Merica, and I strongly suggest doing so. It's really smart and at times quirky hardcore punk with melody and nicely layered guitars. "Grojecka" is the first track and is exceptionally gloomy compared to the rest; hence, I love it! It appears to be about a dismembered woman, but whether literally or figuratively I cannot say. It rocks just as hard from both angles.

"Grojecka"

"Grojecka" (Mediafire)

Altered Beast

Aaron G sent me rips of his old band Altered Beast's demo thinking I would like it. He was goddamn right about that! It's too good not to post, in fact. Aaron threw down the No Comment and Spazz comparisons, which sums it up well, but I'll go ahead and throw in a "Mankind" era Infest one just to sound like I'm doing something here. By now you know basically what to expect, except for maybe the actual quality that awaits you. Trust me, if you like this genre, don't hesitate. Altered Beast only released this demo and didn't get much exposure outside of Chicago. Download now and tell your friends you've known about these guys forever.

Thanks again, Aaron!

Altered Beast Demo

Sawchuk

It's time for a couple more demos, the first being from Sawchuk-- a young Michigan band that's going strong (with the next featured band, such is not the case...). Matt from the band noted that Sawchuk isn't typical of the bands FE usually features, and in a way he's right, but not completely. I can always appreciate bands that draw inspiration from hardcore's heyday, and this band certainly does so with the "crew" styled backing vocals and old-school-gritty midwest-meets-east-coast barrage. I can discern a small influence from the more modern straight edge bands of recent times, but its subtlety in the mix is certainly an asset to the final impression made (at least to this blogger's ears). The final impression would be that Sawchuk is a solid hardcore band, and regardless of the listless recording quality, the band's power and heart shine through each of their raging tunes. I was a little skeptical when I saw titles like "Rust Belt Pride" and "Stand And Fight," but exploring further I found the lyrics to be quite thoughtful and at times moving. I look forward to these guys getting a decent recording budget and steady line-up, 'cause their next release will probably be a killer!

Check out the Sawchuk Myspace page for another download and show dates.

Sawchuk "Summer 2009 Demo"

August Is Cruelest Month

For my last summer vacation Song Of The Week, I was temped to post Bananarama's "Cruel Summer," but I opted for a band that never put out a weak track. Post Regiment was awesome, enough said. The booty-shaker this week is what I like to call their 'radio hit,' although it's dubious that it ever got any play. It definitely strikes the ears unawares with its sweet, poppy allure after an album-full of snotty-yet-sincere, fuckin' raging hardcore! Don't be surprised if this tune sneaks into your synapses while you're warming up for your morning shower-a capella session-- it's damn infectious! Being a non-Pole, I am not qualified to say that Post Regiment was the best band to ever come out of Poland, but I secretly believe this to be true. Sincerely so.

"Catch Another Train" by Post Regiment (from their self-titled first album).

If that doesn't work, click HERE

On a related side-note, the new El Banda 7" rules!

A Sad Symbol Of The Brotherhood Of Man

Note to the young folks out there: please do NOT name your band Sacrilege! Yes, it sounds badass, but there are already, like 20 out there. The most important one for me and many other fans of crust and thrash would be the UK's Sacrilege! Some nice bootleg operation in or near Andorra collected all the band's demos from '84-'86 on a limited (to 300) CD. There was an LP circulating the distros recently which collects the early demos, but this disk has both of the 1986 ones as well. If you're an obsessive Sacrilege-type, here are the demos ripped at 320. The back cover photo tells you which tracks are from which session.

The Demos Part 1

The Demos Part 2

Back Cover

dead.enewetak.bird

When I have the time, I don't have the motivation, and now that I have less time... The only way to solve this blogging dilemma is to unload a nice, quick EP on you. A good chunk of Enewetak's discography is all over this site, but what is this "Dead Bird" 7"? It's about what one might expect from this band as recorded by Matt Anderson in 1995, ie. it sounds a little more "Gravity" than "King Of The Monsters." The post-Rorschach menace is still worn sleeve-wise, though, and the band's chunky, metallic destiny is clearly visible on the horizon. The actual record's history is a little foggy-- we know that it was released on Revolutionary Powertools Records and came in a sealed envelop-sleeve, but just how many were pressed, I cannot say. Having almost never seen this thing around, I'd venture to say it falls into the rare as fuck category.

Here

Bringing Out The Dead

I managed to rip this modern classic before my needle turned to total shit. The glorious Ambulance LP also marks the return of the sub-sub genre of music this blog specializes in: bleak scandi-crust! (and yes, female vocals... not that it matters... or does it?). Ambulance now has a new line-up, including a different vocalist, but as solid as they are, they have yet to match the brilliance of "The End Of Our Time." It's one of those records that's so dark you want to off yourself, but so awesome and powerful it gives you a reason once again to live. Make a playlist of this, Tragedy, Schifosi, and Jeniger, and you'll be in your own personal twilight bliss.

"The End Of Our Time" by Ambulance (ripped from vinyl @ 320 kbps)

See if you can get a copy from the band.

Cap'n Jazz - Shmap'n Shmazz

Go ahead and laugh. Is Cap'n Jazz a guilty pleasure? Shit yeah. But heck, what other band could with so much ease summon the buried memories of those innocent years when the only worry you had was how to get 50 cents to buy an ice cream from the guy in the truck jingling "Pop Goes The Weasel" (who was probably a pedophile, but this could NEVER occur to you) with charmingly assonant psychobabble like "Dictioncanary can swear she's barely aware of her apparently paralyzing stares?" They will be called pretentious and other epithets of foulness, but I prefer to quote the band again and say that Cap'n Jazz was "a puppy, a balloon, and a happy accident"!

¡Que Suerte!

*This is the second to last in the fun-summer-Song Of The Week series. A week from today, it's back to work for me. I'm also awaiting a new stylus in mail for my turn table, but I still plan on doing some posts, so stay tuned! (I'll have to see what I've got in my CD collection...)

Puro Desmadre Parte Tres

Big thanks to Mike D for giving us the final installment of the Stapled Shut discography: the 5 track "Resin Heaven" demo. There are some exclusives as well as old favorites, the most exciting for me being the other version of my favorite SS track, "Fuck The Bullshit."

Get it here.

Vaya Sin Dios

I get the feeling Sin Dios' last full length, "Odio Al Imperio," was not meant for wide distribution. I didn't see it in too many American distros, and the enormous book(let) is completely in Spanish. Nonetheless, in technical aspects, "Odio" is possibly the band's best release. True, some of the revolutionary fire of their previous albums is missing from the songwriting, but the production and musicianship is certainly at its most mature. Since everything the band did is worth repeat listens, here are some quality CD rips if you missed it the first time, along with some low-budget but very legible pictures of the 100+ page book that accompanied it.

Listen here.

Read here

¡Ruido Anticapitalista!

This and the next post will be an alpha-omega sort of thing for one of my all time favorite bands. For something like 15 years, Sin Dios inflamed crowds with their lively and distinctly Spanish take on anarcho-hardcore. Simultaneously pissed and catchy, each of their records is potent enough to instantly wipe away my dissaffection, no matter the day or circumstances. Ripped for you today is what I believe to be their first release: a split LP with fellow Spaniards, Tarzan. Both bands offer top notch material, and the 'zine-styled booklet covers a lot of info on the early '90's political situation in Spain and Latin America. After their break-up, Sin Dios uploaded their entire discography at their site, but I'm not sure if it's still there (and I don't believe they posted the Tarzan tracks).

Sin Dios/Tarzan Split LP (@ 256 kbps) w/ booklet

This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb

Much of the blog folk hibernate during the summer, and who can blame them? I haven't been posting very much either due to some fun and distracting projects. Case in point: I decided to try my hand at bike building. I think it came out pretty damn well. Some Ramen months lay ahead, since the components add up to a minor fortune; but it was worth it for the learning experience and the badass finished product!



In celebration, it's time for another fun summer Song Of The Week. This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb change the term Folk-Punk from derogatory to complimentary. So here's a song from my favorite of their albums, "Front Seat Solidarity," that covers another activity I've been engaged in a little too often lately.


"Drunk Punk" by This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb

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: "Wednesday Night Church Meeting" (Mingus)

I'm not a church-going man, but years ago when a friend copied "Blues & Roots" for me, the first track conjured an image of a sweltering Southern church packed with lay folk dancing themselves into an ecstatic fever. It was more than satisfying when later I bought the LP and could see the song titles.

"Wednesday Night Church Meeting"

The Steps To Hell

Farcical was yet another virile offshoot of the G-Anx/Elderberry Records tree. Where they fit into the lineage is a little hazy, but based on the recording date of the split below, the band appears to be pre-Counterblast. The first label I wanted to throw onto the 7" pictured above was Counterblast-lite. This is unfair, however, because the songwriting is every bit as engaging, albeit a little less heavy and depressing. I daresay the undistorted picking forays are at times more beautiful than Counterblast's best.



This early Farcical split sees the band hopscotching between the depression and brutality of their early incarnation (G-Anx) and the more mind-bending psychedelia of their more
progressive work. Awesome tracks, but don't ask me to pick a favorite between these two 7"s. As for the B side, I didn't quite "get" their fellow country-folk, Fatal Females, the first time I spun this disk. By the second time, whatever there was to "get" was thoroughly gotten. FF use low-frequency hum and hypnotically steady rhythm to lull you into a pleasing half-slumber of distorted shoegaze noise (post) punk. So simple, yet so good.


Both EPs here.

Oppressing Minorities/For God And Country

No matter how many "Punk Terrorist Anthologies" have been released, it's always nice to find more live Nausea material, especially from the not-often -heard line-up with Neil and Amy on vocals. Recorded in Connecticut in 1988, the three tracks committed to this little piece of wax are crushing and entertaining testimonials of a band hitting its stride on its way to greatness. More please.

Nausea live in Norwalk 1988 (ripped @ 320)

Tracks:
1. New Generation
2. Right To Live
3. Smash Racism