Song of the Week: "Mit Mareridt" (The Assassinators)

Here's one of my favorite Assassinators songs from a 7" I've been playing uncontrollably for a couple of months now. Addiction is inevitable with these Danes, from their tight, traditional structures and galloping punk drumming, to the contagion-laced vocal melodies and harmonies (the comparisons to Bad Religion and La Fraction are not entirely misplaced). This is one of the few bands I know that can somehow sound so sweet and digestible, and still hold a stern place in the political/crusty hardcore canon. I've also heard that the band is no more, sadly, but this 7" is available all over the place. So, support them, and while you're at it you can support DSB who is also rad.

"Mit Mareridt" by The Assassinators from the split with DSB

Ivich Part II

Ivich's one and only LP was a major discovery for me, right after another major discovery-- that of the Ebullition mail order list. Ivich was without a doubt hardcore, but not like I had heard it previously. In the DIY spirit, it proved to me that a band still didn't need a huge recording budget to create innovative and moving noise. It was also my first indication that the nineties experimentation in Europe was a lot heavier and less whiny than its American correlate-- two traits I still adore in these bands. "La Mort Heureuse" is noisy, messy, and unpredictable, but it's equally riveting, passionate and sincere.

You can also hear some of the band's earliest work in the 7" included below (thanks a million to the always awesome Fab!) and on the "Le Garage" comp posted a while back.

Ivich stuff is here

Ivich LP and 7"

I won't be posting the 10" as it is still available from Ebullition.

Song of the Week: "Gusano De Fuego" (Moho)

Well, the SOTW is way late, but that's how it goes on vacation-- the days of the week are thrown out with the alarm clock. Late rather than never, we have one of the vices of all my summers. Along with more melodic stuff, I tend to grab the slow and sludgy records too, complimented with some non-cigarette tobacco product and a little alcohol. Eyehategod and Cavity are defaults for porch-sitting capers, as is the mighty Moho. They fit the MO perfectly-- Low and dirty post-Sabbath riffs? Got 'em. Sickening vocals? In abundance. Oodles of feedback? Check. Bearded Southern guys loaded on meth and whiskey? Ooh, not quite. Moho is some ex-grindcore kids from the capital of Spain, but don't let that prejudice you; they can easily hold their own with the big guns.

"Gusano De Fuego" by Moho from "20 Uñas"

Ivich Part I

France's Ivich was my first glimpse of "modern" hardcore (specifically their LP which will be the subject of the Part II post); today's post concerns their two split 7"s (and I'm throwing in the "Illiterate" comp track). Whether any given Ivich track is blasting you with fast and fiery emotional HC, chunky mosh metal, or those odd, free-form undistorted pauses, you'll know who's doing it to you, as the band always sounds so very distinct. The two rippers on the E-150 split fit into the first category mostly-- fast and chaotic, and dripping with raw emotion. Their Spanish partners on side B take an even more straight forward, Chicagoan approach (MK-Ultra, Crudos, etc), except for the weird electronic track at the end. The music is tight, fast, and powerful, and ends before it could ever possibly get old.

The Ivich track on the Jasemine split is probably their least interesting one, and therefore this EP is posted for the sake of completism, as well as my mission to spread Jasemine's brilliance as far and wide as I can. I've already waxed hysterical over this post-Finger Print band's ugliness-meets-sublime beauty before, so just take my word for it-- Jasemine is essential listening, even if they only released four songs.

Ivich stuff is here

Ivich splits and a comp track

Life After Nausea

Final Warning was a band from New York City that didn't release too many songs. Hearing them on "Stop Vivisection" crank out 16 live tracks is pretty awesome indeed. Because of Neil's time in Nausea during the early days, we get a handful of Nausea renditions, and I believe a Hellkrusher cover. Stacey of Mankind?(I believe?) takes duet honors in lieu of Amy on "Electrodes" and I believe all FW tracks are accounted for too. Gruff and abrasive political hardcore for fans of Crucifix and Discharge...

"Stop Vivisection"

Song of the Week: "They Divide" (SSR)

Judging from the quietness around here, I suspect that everyone's summer has started off great. I hope that's the case. Mine has as well, but after just coming off of Mount Whitney everything seems so little and insignificant, including blogging. I'm trying real hard to snap out of it. Inspiration for the SOTW wasn't coming through for me either, so in these cases I throw out a song from a new record you may like...

SSR (Sedition Sub Rosa) was a huge hit at FE headquarters after I picked up their LP and EP on the strength of their myspace playlist. These Richmond, Virginians are the genuine article and play fairly noisy '80's Japanese meets Scandinavian hardcore punk. Not "Confuse" noisy, but there's a deliberate lo-fi quality that adds authenticity to the sound. Like their influences, they've mastered the art of using simple riffs that stick with you, and in addition add some catchy, semi-melodic guitar leads once in while to keep their records on your turn table indefinitely. Certainly a band to look out for, although their "Orwellian Future" 7" and self-titled LP are already admirable accomplishments. "They Divide" comes from their 7" and although the tempo is much slower than most of their tracks (which are more 'd-beat' in speed), it does wonders in capturing the eerie, dystopian feel the record's title foreshadows, and it's a real crusher!

"They Divide" by SSR

An Earwig's Guide To Traveling

I'll make this quick since most of you have this, and I've got to head to the mountains in about 5 minutes. Gasp was one of the most powerful and unique bands of the nineties and "An Earwig's Guide To Traveling" is the miscellanea that comprises the rest of their discography. I've been planning to post this for a while, and an e-mail from Mr. AD sealed the deal. Yes, the "Sore For Days Demo" is included in the collection. (Scans of the fold-out insert will be here when I get back).

"AEGTT" part I by Gasp (320 kbps... singles, comp tracks, demo)

"AEGTT" part II

Song of the Week: "Mlha" (Uz Jsme Doma)

Being on the mighty Nikt Nic Nie Wie label, I bought "Rybi Tuk" a couple of years ago thinking it would be some awesome crazy Polish punk. Uz Jsme Doma is neither Polish nor punk, but they were something incredible. What that something is, I still can't put into words. Passion and musical daring, it certainly exudes, and if genius was a musical genre, then there it would definitely fall. Tradition and innovation collide here in a voluptuous feeding frenzy to satisfy anyone's true Transylvanian hunger.

"Mlha" by Uz Jsme Doma

Between Cracking Up And Getting Yourself Together

I think I'll keep the crusty stuff I have in the pipeline for next week. In lieu, let's hear a band I recently rediscovered to most gleeful result. Plus, it was the first sunny morning of my vacation today, after days of June gloom. Yes, 8 Bark is much more appropriate, with their volcanic rhythm section and characteristic male/female harmonies. Punk in spirit and speed, but smart and daring enough to hang with the "undie" rock circuit, the band quietly refuses classification, much to my further enjoyment. For years, I only knew them through comp tracks. Getting ahold of a 7" and this amazing "Scam" LP has allowed me to see the error in my delay. "Scam" is themed around work, the meaningful kind, and ways to make the more meaningless drudgery of life less so. A couple of spins should do it, and you'll be hooked too I think.

"Scam" LP by 8 Bark

Violent Incendiary Distortion Monster

I feel like something fast today. Nailed Down circa 1995-97 fits that criterion. The obvious Lärm and Infest influence is observed in vicious collaboration with menacing Bostonian hardcore qualities and noisy Japanese amplification (made even more apparent by the band's choice of bands to cover: Negative FX, Kuro, and Confuse). "Violent Distortion" is an early example of the band's work before their sound changed a bit. On vinyl it was released as a 10" by a bunch of French labels, and Profane Existence Far East released it on 3" CD. What you get in the folder below are 320 rips of the CD with graphics from both versions of the release.

You'll also find rips of ND's "Honour and Glory" 8" flexi (Six Weeks Recs). The tracks are similar to "VD" but slightly less vicious, and a couple of raw live tracks are tacked on to the end. I did my best with the rip quality considering it's a flexi.

CD Cover:

Download both records here

Song of the Week: "First Step" (Jawbreaker)

Some summer vacations are about adventure and getting into trouble; this one is all about R'nR-- drinking it all in and convincing time to go a little bit slower. "First Step" is yet another (the 3rd) Jawbreaker Song of the Week, but it seemed so perfect and mentions two things I associate with leisure time: bikes and coffee (one I would like to do more of, the other less). Beer is not mentioned, but there's plenty of SOTW slots for those kind of songs.

"First Step" (Jawbreaker)

** Be sure to pick up a copy of the re-press of "Unfun"!

Work Is The Curse Of The Drinking Class

Whew! I got kind of busy there, but I think I'm back. My last day of work was Friday, so I'm gonna focus on catching up on blog stuff as much as I can this week while still maintaining my regiment of running around stupidly in the sunshine. Tonight we have one of Mikxx's recent obsessions: Norway's IOU! "A Cause For Anxiety" 7" was recorded a couple of years before the LP, and is a little less heavy and metallic. The band plays an intelligent take on the more modernized forms of old gritty hardcore... Born Against and Fucked Up come to mind, but as always, those are just ambiguous reference points. When it comes to music, the country of Norway has rarely let the world down, so see what you think...

IOU's "ACFA" EP

Song of the Week: "Only To Infinity" (Remains Of The Day)

Blame them for tainting the American well with a hemlock dram of "neo-crust" if you will, but I tend to credit Remains Of The Day with playing powerful and unique hardcore (yes, they were similar to Cwill, but still different enough). I think I heard somewhere that they had a member of Hellshock in their line up, but rather than stenchy crust, ROTD opted for dramatic narratives with fast and energetic tempos (mostly), dabbed with a few slow and somber interludes. If you follow the rule that crust should be simple and straight forward, this band is not for you. But if you like it when bands tunnel across boundaries and smuggle in musical contraban, maybe you already know this band, or should.

"Only To Infinity" (ripped from the vinyl version of "Hanging On Rebellion." Buy the full album at Crimes Against Humanity Recs.)

This post should be called "Remains of the Year," as the last week of school is finally here! Hopefully this means that posting will become more regular. I'll make that a goal, not a promise.

What About Glass Smashed And Shattered?

Although H:G Fact still lists it as available, I'm posting Envy's first full length due to its scarcity in my hemisphere. But, with the possibility of its reissue by Temporary Residence (just a prediction), these rips will be removed soon. "From Here To Eternity" is a real treat to hear, as the band works out its early ideas and angst, and reveals without shame their distinct take on 90's French hardcore (the first minute sounds like an unreleased Finger Print track!). The drumming may not be as frenetic-yet-intricate, and the layers of guitars not quite as masterful as on, say, "All The Footprints...," but considered as if in a vacuum, "FHTE" is an excellent piece of work.

"From Here To Eternity" by Envy (H:G Fact, 1998... CD Rips). Please try to buy a copy and support H:G Fact because it's an amazing label!

The Magic Formula For Misbelievers

After two visitors recommended Grievance, I finally got around to grabbing their 7". The verdict: holy shit! Just about everything I love overtly or secretly is nailed by this band- challenging structures, metallic chugging, gloomy moods, and the mastery of conveying heartfelt emotion without sounding sappy and weak. This should appeal to a wide array of hardcore fans, but especially those who kneel at the altar of Contropotere, Zero Hour, Daymare...

Grievance 7"

I forgot to include this little bookmark with English translations in the folder.

Song of the Week:"Left Hand" (Envy)

I remember when Envy was still somewhat of a hardcore band. It was during the transitional phase that I first found them, with the release of "All The Footprints...". Screamy hardcore was getting dull and redundant, but Envy wasn't about to fall into that trap. Their hardcore was indeed emotional, but there was still a raw fury backing each song, and the emphasis was on the music, not the hairstyle. "All The Footprints..." is a great album, and to a certain extent there is greatness on all of Envy's releases... just not nearly in this high a concentration. Level Plane had a hand in releasing it on CD, but "Left Hand" was ripped from the LP version put out by H:G Fact and Molaire Industries.

"Left Hand" (from "All The Footprints You've Ever Left And The Fear Expecting Ahead")

Everything I Hate About Hardcore

Christ, where did this week go? Faster the better, I guess. A nice 7" is always good for when a post is in order, but time is scarce; so let's get started-- rumor has it that Far Left Limit had (a) future member(s) of Pisschrist in its line up. However, expect no abrasive d-beat on this split. Instead these Aussies plow through 5 tracks of political hardcore American style that are over before you know it. The brevity is disheartening, but it can be redeemed by playing the tracks again for an equally awesome experience, or by checking out Deadstare. These guys played grindcore and were not ashamed of it. Furious, metallic, blazing fast... it's grindcore, people. Get more information about Deadstare as well as their discography here.

Far Left Limit/Deadstare Split 7" (The last Deadstare track had some kind of bump in the wax, creating a low-rider with hydraulics effect with my turn table arm. I did what I could to remedy this).

Song Of The Week: "Twilight Amaranthine" (Asunder)

The vast majority of doom metal bores me, but every so often a band of this ilk, with slow grace, will "bore" into me in another way-- under the skin and right to the psyche. Asunder did this with their beautiful 1x1/2 LP, "A Clarion Call." They succeed for me because they structure their compositions like intricately wrought narratives and use heaviness as only one facet of what are ultimately fairly complex songs. More importantly, tracks like "Twilight Amaranthine" are just chilling and beautiful to hear, all the way up to the fourteenth minute(!). It's been a while since I've posted a long, slow one, but "TA" should more than make up for lost time.

"Twilight Amaranthine" by Asunder (ripped @320 from vinyl)

Unholy Sea Of Shite

Members of One By One, Jinn, etc blasting through 13 intense, grinding tracks-- I'm not sure what else you could want in a record. This is the UK Ebola's only 12" I think, which might be self-titled but I'm calling it "Incubation" because that's what it says on the booklet cover. Both vocalists are in rare form and belt out their wares with straight from the gut anger. Classic!

Ebola (UK) LP (Side B had some surface scratches, so sorry about that.)

...With your cock out.

Painajainen was going to rip this for us too, but because he's a bit busy I took the liberty. The Servitude/Ebola (UK) split is about what you'd expect from these two musical bruisers if you've heard them before. I was all excited to hear more Servitude after their excellent 7", but I gotta say, their tracks on here were a bit listless by comparison. They still play their own take on dark-edged crusty thrash, and for that I'll always appreciate this band. Ebola on the other hand, dominate, ripping this EP to shreds, gluing it back together with their own snot, only to smash it to pieces again. This is angry political hardcore that reaches the borderline of grindcore and does the hokey-pokey all over it. The funny sound samples and smart lyrics top off their five tracks capitally. Rock out in the cockpit...

here.

Song Of The Week: "After You" (Sin 34)

I think it was 17 years ago when, through the fuzz of a broken KROQ signal, I first heard Sin 34 and Anarchy 6. But it wasn't until the heyday of Napster that I finally got to hear them in all their suburban LA, snotty-ass glory. Still to this day, I own nothing by either band, although if money wasn't an issue I probably would. Slowly over time, I've come to place Sin 34 in the higher ranks of my '80's hardcore faves, among excellent company I assure you. "After You" is wound up with the fire typical of this band, and perfect for yet another ass-dragging week that won't end, with vacation so near on the horizon.

"After You"

Play At Any Speed And Fail

I'm gonna throw up a bunch of re-ripped slabs over the next few weeks, and Gob's opus seemed a fine place to start. When I posted the "Kill Yourself Commandment" LP the first time, I think I just stole some rips for upload, and that just doesn't cut it. Tonight we have the 320 treatment for one of the most sour affronts to music ever committed to wax. Gob took everything our ears have been taught to hold sacred and did things to them that are still considered illegal in some states. If you like your noise rock violent or your violence noisy, Gob might be your favorite band, or they might make you rethink your preconceptions about such trite labels. I hate name-dropping, so I won't mention that Mr. J. Kortland of Iron Lung was one of the Gob masterminds.

Download the 11th Commandment!

("The Kill Yourself Commandment" by Gob (Reno) released on Satan's Pimp Recs, 1999)

Song of the Week: "A Six Inch Valley" (Planes Mistaken for Stars)

Another song about loss and the sauce, "A Six Inch Valley" is one of the more hard hitting tracks on the brilliant "Up In Them Guts" LP. Plenty of bands are "hard to describe," but PMFS was one of those rare breeds that created a distinct concoction that seemed to flow from them organically. They didn't try to sound like anyone else, ended up truly sounding like no other, and if anyone else tries to sound like them, they will be called out as posers, but quick. The Motorhead comparisons you may have heard only allude to the band's grit, but really the similarities end there. It's just grungy, emotive, brutally sincere rock that although standing alone, has its roots anchored in many varied and mysterious soils.

"And you know, I couldn't sell you a lie to save my life.
So it's up to ugly truths to scrape us by.
Or down to dirty tricks to keep us blind..."

"A Six Inch Valley" by Planes Mistaken for Stars

Crust, INC

As per request, today's serving is a small but fortifying slab of industrial metal/punk with a generous garnish of crusty aesthetics. In Nomine Christi was a one man band from Germany who also did an equally invigorating LP which Painajainen ripped for all to enjoy over here. The 7" consists of two more head-bobbing, bass driven jams, and one dirge of cold despair. Our anonymous friend who made the request made the comparisons to Spine Wrench and Godflesh, and I'm hard pressed to do any better than that. I like the way the composer makes great use of electronic sounds and keyboards to flesh out more musical layers in a genre that usually leaves me cold. Nice record!

In Nomine Chrisi 7"

Hello, We're Åsswipé From Big Lick, Kentucky

For a while, at least two bands a week would send me links to check out or review. While this did wonders to boost the false vanity of my blogger ego, it got to be overwhelming. I kept all the e-mails under the delusional notion that one day I would post this stuff. If you're in one of those bands, I haven't mentioned you until now not because I hate your band or that I'm an asshole (although in other facets of my life, that is easily proven), but I just let myself succumb to a priority "system" based on pure impulse and whimsy. In other words, I post whatever the fuck I feel like on any given week. This will continue until this blog's death, so sorry to say that most "submissions" will be archived indefinitely in favor of dusty records from my collection and the occasional request. To say thanks to most or hopefully all the bands that contacted me thinking that people actually read this thing, here is a big directory of the offerings. I'll make each blurb quick and let you all be the critics. Honestly, some of these bands are doing some incredible things, so get comfortable and get your clicker finger ready.

Mit'an - Un(holy) Hebrew! This band from Israel is just incredible! Emotion, speed, and tightness like you haven't heard in a while. They leave me with a similar feeling as El Mariachi, Torches to Rome, and Ballast/Preying Hands. According to Gad of Urban Decay Records, the band featured members of D9, Dir Yassin, Uzbeks, and Tea With Satan, but unfortunately broke up last year. Crying shame. Being one of the few countries in that region with much of a "scene", it's hard for Israeli bands to get noticed. Thanks Urban Decay for allowing this free download.

Arxi Tou Telous- This band from Athens, Greece is hard to pinpoint soundwise, which is a characteristic in a band that I love. They're right in using the post-punk moniker, but even that can be ambiguous. Very moody and complex, with some nice build-ups. Check out their myspace page or this live set.

Famine Year- Perhaps you've heard of these Finns. They play dark and metallic, grinding modern hardcore a la HHIG, Nasum, Asebia, Perth Express, etc. The recordings sound good and they play with ridiculous amounts of power. Sample their MS tracks here.

Sanctions- The dudes from Sanctions sent me some download links, but the links died. The tracks on their myspace page are pretty powerful post-HHIG, Silence, Madam Germen-type melodic dark crust. Good shit from these guys, which you can purchase here.

The Constellation Branch- TCB get compared to Sunny Day Real Estate and Radiohead, and as reference points, we're not far from cracking the case. Slick, moody, oozing with talent, I wanted to dismiss this band as not-my-cup, but they're sneaky in how they move in on your favor. Maybe it's the xylophone in "ReCreation In Sleep." I don't know-- if you're willing to explore, check 'em out.

Nervous Sex - Some nervously sexual noise here from Philly. I feel bad for holding onto these downloads for so long, because these guys seem like good people. Now, if I can be said to have any expertise, Nervous Sex would be beyond it. But even a layman like me can appreciate the layers of racket produced by these three mad scientists and their convoy of homemade instruments and stockpile of stimulants (just guessing). Here are links to their "Creep Sea" album and a split tape with Drums Like Machine Guns. I hope they don't mind sharing the goods; contact NS on their MS if you'd like hard copies.

Mass Obliteration- I think there's a rule somewhere that if your band has "Mass" or "Obliteration" in its name, you're automatically in with the grindcore crowd. Mass Obliteration from Rome self-label their music "anarcho death metal." This is more accurate than my original assumption. The whole record has an old-school, mid-paced death metal feel, but with some unexpected rockin' and groovin' flourishes. So if that's your thing, get it here (lyrics included, MS link they gave me = dead).

Protozoan- This is a more or less one man industrial/electronic/heavy music band. TomAD has generously offered his three albums for download: "Waterburner", "Amok", and "Fault". These mind-squeezers should keep your consciousness busy for some time.

Big Shiny Prison - ... is a book and journalistic adventure whereby author Ryan Bartek took to the road and committed his experience interviewing various folks in the metal, punk, etc. world to paper (or in our case, a pdf file). I haven't had a chance to read it, but it sounds interesting as heck. Here is the free download for it; I'm not sure if a paper copy has been published at this point.

Stagnation Is Death - Polish hardcore/death metal, and pretty raging as far as that goes. Harsh vocals, lots of bass drums, tremolo madness. It's all there, and the members are very involved in local anarcho activism in their country. So, support SID all you can, and download their LP and split CD to sample the wares.

The New Enemy- I posted one these Canadians' last record a while back and here they're back with this new EP, "Shakedown". I love the more heavy and hardcore direction this time around, but I'm glad they retained their melodic tendencies. Gruff, but still slick, emotive but still heavy... good outing and a nice indication of the future things to come.

Dead Until Dawn- A little more polished than what I'm used to, Dead Until Dawn play ugly metallic hardcore that's good for its genre. The crusty in me makes my attention span wander during listenings, but that's just me.

Lanterns - Hey they're from San Diego! Lanterns play indie rock with punk rock energy, and a hint of the bitter in their sweetness. Kind of like some of those mid-western bands in the nineties. Judging from their merch, I was afraid they'd be too hipster, but the music is what counts, and I have to say... me likey. Not something I'll listen to all the time, but it's a nice way to break up the screaming, blast beats, and post-nuclear imagery of my usual fare.

Fat Mans War Face - Yeah the name got me interested too. FMWF is death metalcore, or whatever arrangements of those root words you prefer. Once again, more metal and more slick than what I'm used to, but they will more than satisfy dudes with a hardspot for mosh, and pride in their hardcoreness. Get their "White Light" EP here.

Purity Control - Another Canadian band to look out for, Purity Control play raw and mean hardcore with distorted vocals and definite associations with PV and metallic hardcore. Devastating shit. This kind of music doesn't require good production, but better production next time will only make this band more badass. Visit their MS page and get links to both of the band's cassettes.

The Smashrooms - These Italians play tight, melodic yet metallic hardcore that draws on that country's HC heritage, but I can also hear a little Sin Dios and American SxE gang-styled vocals. Interesting stuff, and nicely played. The lyrics link is down on their MS page, but they have an anti-fascist blurb on there, so at least there's that. Also at their MS page... free download!

Cool Band Now - If you're tired of being preached at by bands, check CBN. These Santa Cruzers are all about keeping the fun and funny in music. Hard to describe these guys, but I like their attitude about music and such. Chris introduced me to his band after noticing my strange love for crusty pop punk (if such a thing exists). Click here if you like your crust thin...

Organ Trail - Moody, tripped out weirdness that has a heavy feel at times, and a spacious and serene feel at others. I'm at a loss for other words besides... intriguing. I haven't ordered my copy yet, but I will, and you can too.... here.

Mona de Bo - Latvian experimentalists with a dirgy feel to their compositions. Consumption of depressants would aid this adventure greatly. Some tracks are more listenable than others, but I have the feeling time and patience will also come in handy in unwinding the complex threads holding this band's sound together. Another interesting one to walk into with the most open of minds.

Groover - LoFi, Funkadellic, blackened grind! Or something. The band reassures us that we haven't heard anything like this in the last decade. Gotta be true; must be heard. Download "Let's Boogie"

Okay, so I'm not doing this again. As the name of this blog indicates, I much prefer the randomness that has directed postings in the past. Thanks again for all the generous contributions, but I'm probably going to ignore most submissions in the future. I have a hard enough time maintaining this blog as it is!

On that note, I'll try to fill a request tomorrow that I've had to put off, so stay tuned.

Song of the Week: "Facet" (Dezerter)

I've been on a bit of a Poland kick since the release of the new El Banda 2xLP (which is excellent but a bit over long) so I have a very Polish song for you. Dezerter designed the blueprint for modern Polish punk in the early eighties from the other side of the Iron Curtain, and continued to lay waste for many years after. You can hear lots of British and Euro influences ("Facet" was inspired by Crass apparently), but more importantly you can hear Dezerter's influence in band's like Post Regiment and El Banda in not so subtle ways. This is an excellent thing I hope you'll agree, and "Facet" takes the form of a duet with a guest vocalist who sounds uncannily like those from the above two bands (although from what I can decipher from the liner notes, she is neither(?)). There's great energy and chemistry on this one, so enjoy; and in case you're wondering, "Facet" means "Tough Guy" and it's about chauvanistic men.

"Facet" by Dezerter from "Ile Procent Duszy?"

We Do The Numbers...

Things are starting to get back to... equilibrium around here; sometime last week, the counter finally made it 100,000 visitors-- and just shy of three fucking years! That's what I get for posting shit nobody else likes, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I also replaced my needle cartridge with a really nice one after breaking the last needle in a beer-buzz klutz-move, so ripping should resume soon. All this is restoring my lagging interest in blogging, as are a couple of e-mails I received recently.

The first was from Eddie (formerly of Tafkata) letting me know about his insanely good new band, Seven Sisters Of Sleep. I asked him the first obvious question you'll have too after hearing "Monastery" and Swamp": when will the first record come out?! Rest assured, the band is working all that out. If you're on this blog, there's already a 90% chance SSS will be the subject of the next shrine you build in your living room, and if utter despair set to music is your idea of a good time, the chances are even greater. The next, less obvious question was: "How's about that Tafkata demo I've heard about"? I'm a shameless moocher-- sorry Eddie. Turns out there were two, and he hooked them up for us. As a Tafkata fan-geek, I feel it's my duty to share everything I can with you, and these heavy and dirty cuts are more than worth repeated listens regardless of, or especially because of, the damage it will do to your head and the walls around you. Thanks a million Eddie!

Tafkata Demos (Some tracks are titled differently than the album versions)





Another generous e-mail was from Kevin from another favorite band, Icon Gallery. Kevin gave the permish to keep the demo tracks up, and even sent a five track version including the song, "Pain" (which is amazing!). He also included a rip of the band's 7" which long ago I prematurely had a lukewarm response to (probably because I was buzzing on the demo still). Giving it another spin led to giving it five more, and now I'm under its spell. This is such a talented and great band, I hope you crusties can put aside your prejudices and rock the fuck out. I'm going to include the 7" in the folder below under the condition that you will buy it or that you promise you don't have a turn table. Support this band and check with them in June to see if their LP is out yet (there's a new-ish track up at their MS page that sounds great!).


Icon Gallery EPs

Song of the Week: "Drowning In The Aftermath" (Schifosi)

Coming out of a 3 year, late-nineties bender of straight His Hero Is Gone, I needed something to keep me going, and keep the edge off. This and my unreconciled need for more bands like Unhinged led me to a little known Australian band called Schifosi, specifically to "Ill Winds From Outopia." The abrasive character of the vocals and Swedish-style drumming were smoothed over by the dark, malty guitar leads with the insidious after-effect of both satisfaction and craving. The year or so after this discovery is a bit of a blur, until "Half Lit World" came out. There are only four tracks on this one, but even after the great final 12" was released, I consider this 7" to be the band's finest achievement. "Law Is Freedom" and "Drowning In The Aftermath" are still my two favorite songs by the band, but after binging on both, "Drowning's" forceful build-ups and excellent songwriting put it in the #1 spot.

"Drowning In The Aftermath" by Schifosi (from the "Half Lit World" 7")

Sapporo City Hardcore Vol. III

I haven't seen this mini-CD in too many places, so I'll just throw it out there for you. I'm sure a bunch of you out there dig the leaden, Japanese pummeling of Slang's hardcore, and this disk is right up there with "Immortal Sin." Actually, it has the title track and few more off that LP, plus a couple that are not (including a Ripcord cover). The package itself is a little cheaply put together, but that'll be the farthest thing from your mind as you stagger around in a bloody stupor of Slang-induced trauma.

"Humanistic Disorder" CD

From The Depths Of An Ether Binge

As I await my new stylus in the mail, this break allows me a chance to get caught up with blog e-mails, and post some submissions I've been sitting on. I can't say I'll do this much in the future-- I have a hard enough time keeping up with the whimsy that normally dictates the posting on this site. But where to start in the back-log was easy. James from Into The Storm was kind enough to send me a copy of the band's debut CD. I didn't think bands still did this! An actual CD! ITS obviously works hard on their presentation with the slick artwork, and the many extras they sent with the CD, but it's the music itself that we're most interested in here. In this category, I was not let down either. I feel like it's redundant to describe ITS's sound, when one of the guys at Razorcake already said so much of what I was planning on saying, from his comment on the art, to the Shotmaker reference (that was fuckin' creepy when I read it!). I could rattle on about the Post-this genre/that genre that could maybe fit their M.O., but that would imply that the band is some kind of Isis clone (certainly far from true). I mean, when a band can so easily warrant comparisons from so many genres that have been given such trite labels (post-metal, emotive hardcore, post-punk, post-rock, stoner rock, math-metal, metalcore...), but isn't the least bit trite, what can a "reviewer" do? This conundrum can only be solved with a download, which the band is more than obliged to provide. It's a pleasure to hear these guys working out their fertile ideas, and I look forward to their next release, hopefully with recording quality that does them even more justice.

Click the punk rock pelican:

Song of the Week: "Cut" (Drunk)

Last time I posted Drunk, the download numbers were a little... modest, but the Song of the Week is all about... me, damn it! So I proceed with "Cut" for the week's selection, for the usual reason of its brilliance. The more rock-influenced nature of the band may put people off for the first listen, but great things are bound to happen with my favorite guitarist in the line-up (Roger from LBHTLI, So Much Hate, and I think Bannylist), and English lyrics that put many American/English bands to shame. The punk rebelliousness and abrasiveness is all there, it's just projected through the more wise lense of experience and therefore more subtle (or does experience make us wise, or just more confused? Lately I've been leaning toward the latter...).

"Cut" by Drunk (from the split LP with Goatboy)

Indescribable Megahertz

15 years ago, Three Studies for a Crucifixion and Coleman recorded a groundbreaking split LP; Since then I have inextricably linked the two bands. As you already know or will find out, this isn't really fair--each being two very different entities. But then they shared a comp together too, and now for me, they are inseparable. This post is both bands' discographies as I know them. Any other comp tracks, EPs, or their demos would be much appreciated if you have any. First we have arguably the pinnacle of both band's recording careers, the LP. I used to think Three Studies strutted along the dam that keeps music from falling into chaos, but upon repeated revisits I'm convinced they crossed over and returned with news of how beautiful the union of the two could be. Or ugly, if that appeals to you more. You're welcome to dismiss it as chaos, but if you are so inclined, I urge you to give the band a few chances. The intensity of these tracks is undeniable, and I defy anyone to place these guys into any cozy category.

Maybe it was due to my infatuation with Three Studies that I at first regarded Coleman as a pretty cool band. My revisit to Coleman's world a few years ago was an epiphany: this band may have been one of best things to happen to the 1990s. The enthralling cacophony of the guitar and tantrum-esque vocals seem to anticipate a future Boston quartet, The Conversions, and on top of that, the drumming is incredible. The live feel of the recording adds to the raw, DIY feel, although the sound is a lot better than on the glorious EP below (not sure if the cover is rotated right).

In the other folder at the bottom of this post is a collection of both bands' additional tracks that I was able to dig up; once again, I'm not sure if it's a complete collection, but it's a pretty substantial start. Included is the Coleman 7" which, considering it's rawness, songwriting and hilarious sound samples, is one hell of an entertaining listen, if not one of the more perfect artifacts of nineties hardcore. Like most of the tracks, they reveal the condition of the vinyl they were ripped from (ie. in "much loved" shape). The other tracks were ripped from the Education Comp, the Amnesia Comp, and Three Studies for a Crucifixion's splits with Melt-Banana and Harriet The Spy.

The Split LP

The Comp Tracks, Coleman 7", and Three Studies split tracks

Enjoy, or don't. Man, I've been plagued with obstacles here at FE headquarters. I fixed the camera situation, but last night I broke my needle. Then this week's hectic schedule left me no room to breathe. Next week will hopefully be more productive-- I'll probably post CDs and a mega-links post of all the cool shit people have sent me to "review." Anyway thanks for your support, patience, etc...

Song of the Week: "Briganti" {Live} (Contropotere)

My camera is somewhere on the bottom of the San Diego River (which right now looks like an actual river for once) so I stole the image to the left from the great Night Gaunt Graphics site. Posting will be even slower than usual until I get a new camera, but this week we feast on the haunting, yet rousing live version of "Briganti." This little beauty was found nestled within the "Farmhouse Records 1994" comp amid rollicking pop punk songs and some ragers from Apeface, Lesser of Two, Mohinder, Fuck Boyz, etc. All this talent aside, Contropotere's offering is the one I sweatily anticipate during each spin. That should come as no surprise once you hear it, or maybe it will; depends on what you like. But if you're at all like me, this song will have you burying your dead and marching on to the good fight in no time at all.

"Briganti" (Live)

I'm Feeling I Wish I Was Dreaming

As the season arrives when we sweep out the dust bunnies from the baseboards and corners of our houses and the psychic junk from the recesses of our minds, it's time to replace the bad debris with the good Debris. I'm referring of course to Scotland's Debris, who continue the traditions begun by Scotland's Quarantine. Those traditions include driving and precise punk rhythms, harshly sung melodies, and acerbic political commentaries. The "Attrition" 7" was recorded way back at the end of 1998, and continues pretty close to where "Automatic Negative Thoughts" and "Junction 10" left off, and is beyond satisfactory for people like me with a love for crust and a soft spot for Bay Area (pop) punk.

The band followed up with the equally piss and vinegar suffused "Ten2" LP which is available in many distros, so I may not be able to keep the link up for long. The rips were recorded at a fairly loud volume, so be sure to play them through good speakers.

Debris LP and 7"

Song of the Week: "Power" (Agnostic Front)

It was great to finally hear "Victim In Pain" on vinyl thanks to Bridge Nine who put out the well packaged re-issues with butt-ugly covers. Well, they're not ugly; they would make good menus or something. Not that the original was pretty to look at, but it was authentic. They used the original recordings, why not the covers? Anyway, "VIP" is one of my top ten early '80's records (I was never into buying at collector prices. I settled for years with that cool Combat CD that also has "Cause For Alarm" on it), and easily one of my favorites of all time. Agnostic Front was often challenged for their politics (or other people's perception thereof), but on "Power" they dig their trench before an abstract enemy most of us can feel good uniting against. And, as the band professes on many songs, unity is in fact what we're all about...

"Power" by Agnostic Front